Seerat e Mustafa

ۡ‫ك ل َ ۡم تَ َر َق ُّط َع ۡين‬
َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ
‫احسن مِن‬
ِ
ّ
ُ‫الن ِ َساء‬ َ َۡ َ ۡ ََۡ ََ
‫ل‬
ِ ِ ‫واجل مِنك لم ت‬
ۡ َ ّ ُ ۡ ّ ً َّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ
‫ب‬
ٍ ‫ك عي‬ ِ ‫خلِقت مبء مِن‬
ُ‫ت َك َما ت َ َشاء‬ َ ‫ك قَ ۡد ُخل ِ ۡق‬َ َّ َ َ
‫كن‬
Better than you no eye has ever seen
More beautiful than you no woman has given birth to
You have been created free from any defect
As if you were created like how you desired
Seeratul Mustafa

a‫א‬
Seeratul Mustafa

(Abridged Version)
Biography of the Chosen Messenger of Allah,

Nabi Muhammad Mustafa 
Prepared by
Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Idrees Kaandhlawi 
No Copyright (ɔ)
Permission is granted for reprinting this booklet without any alterations. A humble appeal
is made to the readers to offer suggestions, corrections, etc. to improve the quality of future
publications. May Allah Ta’ala reward you for this.
The author, translators, editors and typesetters humbly request your duas for them, their
parents, families, asaatiza and mashaaikh.
Title: Seeratul Mustafa 
Author: Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi 
Translated by: Mufti Muhammad Kadwa and Moulana Mahommed Mahommedy
Abridged and Published by:

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Ta’limi Board
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First Edition: Ramadhaan 1435 / June 2014

Second Edition: Ramadhaan 1436 /June 2015
Contents
Introduction to the Abridged version ........................................
........................................ xxiii
Foreword................................
................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... xxv
by Hadhrat Moulana Abdullah Amejee Saahib (daamat barakaatuhu)
................................................................
................................ ................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... xxv
Foreword................................
................................................................
.......................................................................................
....................................................... xxvii
by Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf ‘Ali Thaanwi ˛ .............................. xxvii
Preface ................................................................
...........................................................................................
........................................................... XXIX
by Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi .............................. XXIX
Chapter 1................................
................................................................
..............................................................................................
.............................................................. 1
Untainted Family Lineage ................................................................
.........................................................................
......................................... 1
Maternal Lineage ........................................................................................................ 2
Reason for the name of Quraysh ............................................................................. 4
‘Abdul Muttalib’s Dream and the Well of Zam Zam.......................................... 7
‘Abdul Muttalib’s Vow .............................................................................................. 9
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah’s Marriage to Hadhrat Aaminah ........................................ 13
Incident of the People of the Elephants................................................................ 14
Chapter 2................................
................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 17
The Auspicious Birth ................................................................
...............................................................................
............................................... 17
The Collapse of Chosroes’ Palace and the Sinking of Lake Sawah ................ 18
‘Aqeeqah and Naming ............................................................................................. 19
Title (Kuniyyat)......................................................................................................... 21
Upbringing and Suckling ........................................................................................ 21
The Splitting of the Chest ....................................................................................... 25
In the Guardianship of ‘Abdul Muttalib .............................................................. 26
Death of ‘Abdul Muttalib........................................................................................ 26
In the Guardianship of Abu Taalib ....................................................................... 27
The First Journey to Syria and his encounter with the Monk Bahira............ 27
Participation in Hilful-Fudool ................................................................................ 29
Occupation of Trade and the Title of Al-Ameen ............................................... 30
Grazing Goats............................................................................................................ 31
Second Journey to Syria and the Encounter with Nastoora, the Monk......... 31
Marriage to Hadhrat Khadijah ............................................................... 33
The Renovation of the K’abah and Rasulullah’s  Arbitration .. 34
His Divine Aversion to Pagan Customs............................................................... 36
Chapter 3 ................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 41
The Sunrise of Prophethood on Mount Faran......................................
...................................... 41
Date of Prophethood ................................................................................................ 44
Salaah - The Primary Obligation after Tauheed and Risaalat ......................... 44
Chapter 4 ................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 47
The Earliest Pioneers ................................................................
...............................................................................
............................................... 47
Islam of Abu Bakr Siddeeq  ...................................................................... 48
The Islam of Ja’far bin Abi Taalib .......................................................... 49
Islam of ‘Afeef Kindi  ................................................................................ 50
Islam of Talhah  .......................................................................................... 50
Islam of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  .............................................................. 51
Islam of Khaalid bin Sa’eed bin Aas ...................................................... 51
Islam of ‘Usmaan bin ‘Affaan  ................................................................. 52
Islam of ‘Ammaar  and Suhaib  ................................................. 55
Islam of ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah  ...................................................................... 56
Islam of Abu Zarr  ...................................................................................... 57
Assembly of the Muslims in Daar-e-Arqam ....................................................... 58
Open Proclamation of Islam................................................................................... 58
Invitation to Islam and Ta‘aam (meals) ............................................................... 59
Qurayshi conference for hampering the spread of Islam ................................. 62
Islam of Hamzah ........................................................................................ 64
Chapter 5 ................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 67
The Spread of Islam and the Quraysh of Makkah ............................... 67
Revelation of Qul Yaa Ayyuhal-Kaafirun ........................................................... 69
Pointless and absurd questions of the Makkan disbelievers ............................ 70
Quraysh of Makkah consult Jewish scholars ...................................................... 71
Disbelievers persecute Rasulullah  ................................................. 73
Islam of Dimaad bin Tha’labah  .............................................................. 76
Chapter 6................................
................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 77
Arch-enemies ................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................ 77
Abu Jahal bin Hishaam ........................................................................................... 78
Abu Lahab .................................................................................................................. 79
Umayyah bin Khalaf Jumahi.................................................................................. 81
Ubayy bin Khalaf...................................................................................................... 81
‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet ............................................................................................ 82
Waleed bin Mughirah .............................................................................................. 83
Abu Qays bin Faakihah ........................................................................................... 84
Nadr bin Haaris......................................................................................................... 84
‘Aas bin Waa’il Sahmi ............................................................................................. 85
Nubaih and Munabbihah, the sons of Hajaaj ..................................................... 86
Aswad bin Muttalib ................................................................................................. 86
Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaghuth ...................................................................................... 87
Haaris bin Qays Sahmi ............................................................................................ 87
Persecution of the Muslims .................................................................................... 88
Sayyidina Bilal bin Rabaah  (The Imaam of the callers to Salaah and
success) ....................................................................................................................... 89
‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  .................................................................................. 90
Suhaib bin Sinaan  ...................................................................................... 91
Khabbaab bin Aratt ................................................................................... 92
Abu Fukayhah Juhani  ............................................................................... 93
Zanirah  ....................................................................................................... 94
The Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon ............................................................ 97
The Miracle of the Return of the Sun ................................................................... 98
The Miracle of the Halting of the Sun .................................................................. 99
The First Migration to Abyssinia .......................................................................... 99
The Second Migration to Abyssinia.................................................................... 101
The Inspirational Sermon of Ja’far  in the Court of Negus .............. 102
Three questions of Ja’far  to the Qurayshi delegates......................... 105
Islam of ‘Umar bin Khattaab  - 6th year of Prophethood ................. 107
Boycott of Banu Haashim and the Penning of an Oppressive Decree ......... 111
Migration of Abu Bakr  ........................................................................... 114
The Year of Anguish and Bereavement - The death of Khadijatul-Kubra
 and Abu Taalib........................................................................................ 116
Journey to Taaif for the Propagation of Islam .................................................. 117
Return from Taaif and Attendance of the Jinn ................................................. 121
Islam of Tufail bin ‘Amr Dawsi ........................................................................... 122
Chapter 7 ................................................................
..........................................................................................
.......................................................... 125
Mi’raaj................................
................................................................
................................................................................................
......................................................................
...................................... 125
Wisdom behind Mi’raaj ........................................................................................ 125
Mi’raaj in Detail...................................................................................................... 126
The Marvels of this Celestial journey ................................................................ 127
Baitul-Muqaddas .................................................................................................... 129
Glorification of Ibraaheem : .................................................................. 130
Glorification of Musa : ........................................................................... 130
Glorification of Dawood : ...................................................................... 131
Glorification of Sulaymaan : ................................................................. 131
Glorification of ‘Isa : ............................................................................... 131
Glorification of Rasulullah : .......................................................... 132
Ascension to the Heavens ..................................................................................... 133
Meeting the Ambiyaa  ......................................................................... 133
Sidratul-Muntaha: .................................................................................................. 135
Observation of Jannah and Jahannam: .............................................................. 135
Sareeful-Aqlaam - The Site of the Scratching of the Pens: ............................ 135
Divine Proximity - (Celestial vision, divine conversation and the conferral
of sacred edicts)....................................................................................................... 136
Stalling the Sun ....................................................................................................... 139
Chapter 8 ................................................................
..........................................................................................
.......................................................... 143
Invitation to Islam during the days of Haj .........................................
......................................... 143
Islam of Iyaas bin Mu‘aaz ...................................................................... 145
The Inception of Islam in Madinah Munawwarah – 11th Year of
Prophethood ............................................................................................................ 145
The First Pledge of the Ansaar – 12th year prophethood ................................ 146
Islam of Rifa’ah  ........................................................................................ 149
The Institution of Jumu‘ah at Madinah ............................................................. 149
Second Pledge of the Ansaar – 13th year of prophet-hood ............................. 150
Assigning Nuqabaa (Leaders) .............................................................................. 152
Names of the Nuqabaa .......................................................................................... 152
Bay‘at – the pledge, what is it?............................................................................ 153
Important Note........................................................................................................ 154
Open proclamation of Islam in Madinah........................................................... 155
Chapter 9 ................................................................
..........................................................................................
.......................................................... 157
Migration to Madinah Munawwarah ..................................................
.................................................. 157
Assembly of Quraysh in Daarun-Nadwah and their Resolution to
Assassinate Rasulullah  .................................................................. 160
Cave of Saur ............................................................................................................ 164
Date of Departure ................................................................................................... 167
Story of Umm-e-Ma’bad ....................................................................................... 167
Incident of Suraaqah bin Maalik ......................................................................... 168
Incident of Buraidah Aslami ................................................................................ 169
Foundation of Masjidut Taqwa............................................................................ 171
Date of Hijrah.......................................................................................................... 172
The Inception of the Islamic Calendar ............................................................... 172
Khutbatut-Taqwa (First Khutbah and Jumu‘ah) .............................................. 173
The Appearance of the Rabbis before Rasulullah  .................... 180
Islam of ‘Abdullah bin Salaam  ............................................................. 182
Islam of Maymun bin Yaameen ............................................................ 184
Islam of Salmaan bin Islam  ................................................................... 185
Erection of Masjid-e-Nabawi ............................................................................... 189
Erection of Rooms for the Wives......................................................................... 192
After the Demise of the Pure Wives ................................................................... 192
Expansion of the Masjid by the Khulafaa.......................................................... 193
Site of Janaazah Salaah.......................................................................................... 194
Chapter 10................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 195
Brotherhood between the Muhaajireen and Ansaar......................... 195
Second Occasion of Brotherhood ........................................................................ 196
Inception of the Azaan .......................................................................................... 199
Treaty with the Jews .............................................................................................. 201
Miscellaneous Incidents of the First Year of Hijrah......................................... 204
Islam of Sarumah bin Abi Anas  ........................................................... 205
Change of Qiblah direction – 2nd Year of Hijrah ............................................. 206
Suffah and As-haabus Suffah ............................................................................... 207
Attributes of As-haabus Suffah ........................................................................... 210
Names of As-haabus Suffah ................................................................................. 210
Fasting of Ramadhaan ........................................................................................... 212
Sadaqatul-Fitr and Eid Salaah .............................................................................. 212
Salaatul-Adhaa and Qurbaani.............................................................................. 213
Durood Shareef ....................................................................................................... 213
Zakaat on wealth .................................................................................................... 213
Chapter 11................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 215
Ghazawaat and Saraaya (Military Expeditions) ................................ 215
Sariyyah of Hadhrat Hamzah  ............................................................... 215
Sariyyah of ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris  .......................................................... 216
Sariyyah of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  ...................................................... 216
Expedition of Abwa ............................................................................................... 216
The Battle of Bawaat ............................................................................................. 217
Expedition of ‘Ushayrah ....................................................................................... 217
First Battle of Badr - Also referred to as the battle of Safwaan or the minor
battle of Badr ........................................................................................................... 218
Sariyyah of ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  .......................................................... 219
The first spoils of war in Islam ............................................................................ 220
Chapter 12 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 223
Battle of Badr – 2 A.H. ................................................................
..........................................................................
.......................................... 223
Preamble to the Battle of Badr ............................................................................. 223
Departure ................................................................................................................. 224
Mashwarah with the Sahaabah  and their Staunchly Devoted
Discourses ................................................................................................................ 227
Selfless sermon of Miqdaad bin Aswad  .............................................. 227
The Valiant Speech of S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  .............................................. 228
Dream of Aatikah bint ‘Abdul Muttalib ............................................................ 230
Dream of Juhaim bin Salat ................................................................................... 231
Preparation for War ............................................................................................... 234
Battleground speech of ‘Utbah............................................................................. 236
Inception of the war ............................................................................................... 237
Slaying of ‘Utbah, Shaybah and Waleed ........................................................... 238
Rasulullah’s  Dua for Victory ........................................................ 240
Descent of the angels to assist the Muslims ...................................................... 243
Abu Jahal’s dua and his Incitement of War ...................................................... 244
Slaying of Umayyah bin Khalaf and his Son .................................................... 247
Slaying of Abu Jahal – Pharaoh of this Ummah .............................................. 249
Searching for Abu Jahal’s Body after the Victory............................................ 249
The Prisoners of Badr ............................................................................................ 252
Disposing of the Corpses in the well of Badr.................................................... 253
Despatching a Messenger to Madinah with News of Victory ....................... 254
Distribution of the booty ...................................................................................... 255
Distribution of the War Captives amongst the Muslims................................ 256
Consultation over the Captives of Badr............................................................. 257
Divine Admonishment upon the Acceptance of Ransom .............................. 259
Ransom Amount ..................................................................................................... 261
Back in Makkah ...................................................................................................... 262
Abul ‘Aas bin Rabi’  ................................................................................. 264
Abbaas bin Abdul Muttalib  ................................................................... 267
Salaatul-Eid.............................................................................................................. 270
Chapter 13 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 271
Virtues of the Badriyeen ................................................................
.......................................................................
....................................... 271
Number of Badri Sahaabah  .................................................................. 272
Register of the Badri Angels................................................................................. 272
Register of the Martyrs of Badr ........................................................................... 272
Prisoners of Badr .................................................................................................... 276
Chapter 14................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 277
Other Expeditions ................................................................
..................................................................................
.................................................. 277
Assassination of ‘Asma, the Jewess – 26th Ramadhaan 2 A.H. ..................... 277
Battle of Qarqaratul-Kudr..................................................................................... 278
Assassination of Abu ‘Afak, the Jew .................................................................. 279
Campaign of Qaynuqaa - Saturday 15th of Shawwaal 2 A.H. ....................... 279
Campaign of Saweeq – 5th Zul-Hijjah 2 A.H. ................................................... 281
Eidul-Adhaa............................................................................................................. 281
Nikah of Hadhrat Faatimah  .................................................................. 281
Campaign of Ghitfaan 3 A.H. - Also referred to as the campaign of Anmaar
and the campaign of Zu Amar............................................................................. 282
Campaign of Buhraan............................................................................................ 284
Assassination of K‘ab bin Ashraf ........................................................................ 284
Islam of Huwayyisah bin Mas’ood  ...................................................... 287
Sariyyah of Zaid bin Haarisah  - 3 A.H. .............................................. 288
Assassination of Abu Raaf’i - Jumaadath-Thaani 3 A.H. ............................... 288
Chapter 15................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 291
The Battle of Uhud - Shawwaal 3 A.H. ..............................................
.............................................. 291
Quraysh Taking the Womenfolk Along............................................................. 292
‘Abbaas  Notifies Rasulullah  of the Quraysh’s Plan.. 292
Rasulullah  Consulting the Sahaabah  ......................... 292
Rasulullah’s  Preparation and Donning the Armour ................ 295
Rasulullah’s  Departure and Inspection of his Forces .............. 295
Disengagement and Return of the Hypocrites.................................................. 297
Drawing up the Battle Lines................................................................................. 298
Condition of the Quraysh Army ......................................................................... 298
Rasulullah  Addressing the Troops .............................................. 299
The Launch of the Battle and the Killing of the Leading Qurayshi
Contenders ............................................................................................................... 300
The first contestant:................................................................................................ 300
The second contestant: .......................................................................................... 300
The third contestant: .............................................................................................. 301
The fourth contestant: ........................................................................................... 301
The fifth contestant: ............................................................................................... 301
The sixth contestant: .............................................................................................. 302
The seventh contestant: ......................................................................................... 302
The eighth contestant: ........................................................................................... 302
The ninth contestant: ............................................................................................. 302
The tenth contestant: ............................................................................................. 302
The eleventh contestant: ....................................................................................... 302
The Valour of Abu Dujaanah ................................................................ 302
Valour and Martyrdom of Hadhrat Hamzah  ..................................... 303
Martyrdom of Hanzalah, Ghaseelul-Malaa’ikah  .............................. 305
Muslims Archers Abandoning Positions and the Reversal of the War-Scales
.................................................................................................................................... 306
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin Jubair  and His Ten Companions ..... 306
Martyrdom of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  ....................................................... 306
Huzaifah’s Father is Erroneously Martyred by the Muslims......................... 307
The unexpected Attack of Khaalid bin Waleed and the Unwavering Stance
of Rasulullah  .................................................................................... 307
Bodyguards of Rasulullah  ............................................................. 308
Unexpected Attack of the Quraysh against Rasulullah  and the
Valiant Sacrifice of the Sahaabah  ....................................................... 308
Martyrdom of Ziyaad bin Sakan  .......................................................... 309
Attack of ‘Utbah bin Abi Waqqaas upon Rasulullah  .............. 309
Attack of ‘Abdullah bin Qumayyah upon Rasulullah  ............ 309
Support of Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Talhah  to Rasulullah
 ............................................................................................................. 310
The Gallant Sacrifice of Abu Dujaanah  .............................................. 312
Rasulullah  Lamenting over the Disbelievers ............................ 312
Rasulullah  Cursing Some of the Qurayshi Chieftains ............ 312
Qataadah bin Nu’maan  Loses an Eye during the Battle.................. 313
Rumour of Rasulullah’s  Martyrdom ........................................... 314
Martyrdom of Anas bin Nadr  ............................................................... 314
Killing of Ubayy bin Khalaf ................................................................................. 315
Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Faatimah  bathe the wounds of
Rasulullah ......................................................................................... 316
Mutilating the Corpses of the Muslims.............................................................. 316
Abu Sufyaan’s Taunts and Hadhrat ‘Umar’s  reply .......................... 316
Martyrdom of S‘ad bin Rab’i  ................................................................ 319
The Search for the Body of Hadhrat Hamzah  ................................... 320
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  ..................................................... 321
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam  ............................... 322
Martyrdom of ‘Amr bin Jamooh  .......................................................... 323
Martyrdom of Khaysamah  .................................................................... 324
Martyrdom of Usayrim  .......................................................................... 325
People of Madinah Scurry to Ascertain the Well-being of Rasulullah
 ............................................................................................................. 325
A Special Favour upon the Sincere Sahaabah  during the Anxiety of
Battle ......................................................................................................................... 326
Shrouding and Burial of the Martyrs ................................................................. 327
Patriotic martyrdom............................................................................................... 327
A Synopsis of the Wisdom behind the Defeat at Uhud .................................. 328
Campaign of Hamraa ul-Asad - Sunday 16th Shawwaal 3 A.H. ................... 330
Chapter 16................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 333
Miscellaneous events of 3 A.H. ............................................................
............................................................ 333
Sariyyah (expedition) of Abu Salamah ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul-Asad 
(4 A.H.)...................................................................................................................... 333
Sariyyah (expedition) of ‘Abdullah bin Unais  ................................... 334
Incident of Raj‘i....................................................................................................... 334
Chapter 17................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 341
The Incident of Bi’r Ma‘unah ...............................................................
............................................................... 341
Battle of Banu Nazeer - Rabi’ul-Awwal 4 A.H................................................. 343
Prohibition of liquor............................................................................................... 347
Expedition of Zaatur-Riqaa - Jumaadal-Awwal 4 A.H................................... 347
Expedition of the Badr - Sha‘baan 4 A.H........................................................... 348
Miscellaneous Incidents of 4 A.H. ....................................................................... 350
Expedition of Dawmatul Jandal .......................................................................... 350
Expedition of Murays‘i or Banu Mustaliq ......................................................... 350
Incident of Slander ................................................................................................. 354
Revelation of the Verses of Exoneration ............................................................ 360
Revelation of Tayammum..................................................................................... 363
Chapter 18................................
................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 365
Battle of Khandaq (Trench) or Ahzaab (Confederates) - Shawwaal 5
A.H. ................................................................
................................................................................................
..................................................................................
.................................................. 365
Expedition of Banu Qurayzah.............................................................................. 375
Rasulullah’s  Nikah with Hadhrat Zaynab  ................. 380
Revelation of Hijaab............................................................................................... 380
Expedition of Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansaari  towards Qurta -
10th Muharram 6 A.H............................................................................................. 381
Islam of Sumaamah bin Usaal.............................................................................. 381
Expedition of Bani Lihyaan - Rabi‘ul-Awwal 6 A.H....................................... 384
Expedition of Zi Qarad - Rabi‘ul-Awwal 6 A.H. ............................................. 385
Expedition of ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan  towards Ghamr .................. 386
Expedition of Muhammad Bin Maslamah  towards Zil-Qassah..... 386
Expedition of Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah  towards Zil-Qassah ......... 386
Expedition of Jamum ............................................................................................. 387
Expedition of ‘Is ...................................................................................................... 387
Expedition of Tarif ................................................................................................. 387
Expedition of Hasma.............................................................................................. 387
Expedition of Waadiul-Quraa .............................................................................. 388
Expedition of Dawmatul Jandal .......................................................................... 388
Expedition of Fidak ................................................................................................ 390
Expedition of Umme Qirfah ................................................................................. 391
Expedition of ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah .............................................. 391
Expedition of Kurz bin Jaabir Fihari towards ‘Uraniyyeen ........................... 392
Expedition of ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damri ........................................... 392
Chapter 19 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 395
st
‘Umratul-Hudaybiyyah – 1 Zul-Q‘adah 6 A.H. ................................ 395
Bay‘atur-Ridwaan .................................................................................................. 397
Terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah ................................................................. 402
Chapter 20 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 409
International Efforts to Spread Islam - Letters to World Leaders .. 409
(1) Letter to the Emperor of Rome ...................................................................... 410
Hadhrat Dihyaa’s  Sermon in the Emperor’s court ........................... 411
(2) Letter to Chosroe Parvez, emperor of Persia............................................... 416
(3) Letter to Negus, the Emperor of Abyssinia ................................................. 418
Negus’ Response ..................................................................................................... 419
Negus’ Reply to Rasulullah’s  Letter ............................................ 419
(4) Letter to Muqawqis, Governor of Egypt and Alexandria......................... 422
Lecture of Haatib  in the Court of Muqawqis..................................... 423
Response of the Governor ..................................................................................... 424
Muqawqis, Reply to Rasulullah’s  Letter .................................... 424
Letter to Munzir bin Sawa, Governor of Bahrain ............................................ 428
Response of Munzir bin Sawa .............................................................................. 428
Munzir bin Sawa’s Response to Rasulullah’s  Letter ................ 429
(6) Letter to the Ruler of Amman ........................................................................ 430
(7) Letter to the Chief of Yamaamah, Huzah bin Ali ...................................... 434
(8) Letter to the Ruler of Damascus Haaris Ghassaani ................................... 435
Chapter 21................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 437
The Battle of Khaybar 7 A.H.................................
................................................................
................................................................ 437
(1) Na‘im Fort .......................................................................................................... 441
(2) Qamus Fort......................................................................................................... 441
(3) S‘ab bin Mu’aaz Fort ........................................................................................ 443
(4) Qullah Fort ......................................................................................................... 443
(5) Watih and Salalim ............................................................................................ 444
Conquest of Fadak .................................................................................................. 444
An Attempt to Poison Rasulullah ................................................ 445
Mukhaabarah – Sharecropping............................................................................ 446
The Arrival of Abu Hurayrah  ............................................................... 447
Return of the Orchards of the Ansaar ................................................................ 447
Prohibitions at Khaybar ........................................................................................ 448
Return of the Emigrants from Abyssinia ........................................................... 448
Conquest of Wadil-Quraa and Tayma ............................................................... 448
Return Journey and the incident of Laylatut-T‘aris ........................................ 449
Consummation of Marriage with Umme Habibah  .......................... 449
‘Umratul-Qadaa – Zul Q‘adah 7 A.H. ................................................................ 449
Nikah with Maymunah  ......................................................................... 451
Expedition of Akhram bin Abil ‘Awjaa - Zul-Hijjah 7 A.H. ......................... 452
Expedition of Ghaalib bin ‘Abdullah Laysi  - Safar 8 A.H............... 453
Other expeditions ................................................................................................... 453
Islam of Khaalid bin Waleed , ‘Usmaan bin Talhah  and
‘Amr bin ‘Aas ........................................................................................... 453
Chapter 22................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 459
Expedition of Muta - Jumaadal-Ula 8 A.H..........................................
......................................... 459
Expedition of ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  towards Zaatus-Salaasil..................... 466
Expedition of Abu ‘Ubaidah  towards Siful-Bahr (the coastline) ... 468
Chapter 23................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 469
The Conquest of Makkah - Ramadhaan 8 A.H. ..................................
.................................. 469
Abu Sufyaan leaves Makkah in order to renew the peace treaty ................. 472
The story of Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah  ..................................................... 473
The subject matter of Haatib’s  letter ................................................... 474
Departure from Madinah ...................................................................................... 475
Stopping over at Marruz-Zahraan ...................................................................... 478
Abu Sufyaan embraces Islam ............................................................................... 479
Entry into Makkah ................................................................................................. 482
Entering the Sacred Masjid................................................................................... 484
Rasulullah  delivers a speech from the door of the Ka‘bah..... 485
The Azaan is given at the door of the Ka‘bah .................................................. 486
Pledge of allegiance from men and women ...................................................... 489
Rasulullah’s  second speech ............................................................... 491
The dwellings of the Muhaajireen ...................................................................... 492
After the year of amnesty ..................................................................................... 492
Abu Quhaafah embraces Islam............................................................................ 499
Safwaan ibn Umayyah embraces Islam ............................................................. 500
Suhayl ibn ‘Amr embraces Islam ........................................................................ 501
‘Utbah and Mu‘tab embrace Islam...................................................................... 502
Mu‘aawiyah embraces Islam................................................................................ 502
Small battalions are sent to destroy idols .......................................................... 503
‘Uzza and Suwa’ are destroyed............................................................................ 503
Manaat is destroyed ............................................................................................... 504
Chapter 24 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 505
The Battle of Hunayn - Shawwaal 8 A.H............................................
........................................... 505
The siege of Taa’if .................................................................................................. 509
The booty of Hunayn is distributed.................................................................... 510
Umrah Ji’irraanah................................................................................................... 513
The prohibition of mut‘ah .................................................................................... 513
Other incidents that took place in this year (8 A.H.) ...................................... 513
The appointment of governors............................................................................. 514
The 9th year A.H. ................................................................................................... 514
The expedition of ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn Fazaari .................................................. 514
The speech of ‘Ataarid ibn Haajib ...................................................................... 515
The expedition of Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘eet ................................... 516
The expedition of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ausjah .............................................. 517
The expedition of Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir  ................................................... 517
The expedition of Dahhaak ibn Sufyaan ............................................... 517
The expedition of ‘Alqamah ibn Mujazzaz Mudlaji  ........................... 517
The expedition of Ali ibn Abi Taalib  ..................................................... 518
Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr embraces Islam......................................................................... 519
Chapter 25 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 521
The Battle of Tabuk - Rajab 9 A.H. ......................................................
...................................................... 521
Masjidud Diraar ...................................................................................................... 524
Those who remained behind ................................................................................ 526
Abu Bakr  is appointed Ameer of Haj..................................................... 528
Various incidents that took place in 9 A. H. ..................................................... 530
Chapter 26................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 531
The 10th year A.H. – The year of delegations .....................................
..................................... 531
1. The delegation of Hawaazin............................................................................. 532
2. The delegation of Saqeef ................................................................................... 533
3. The delegation of Banu ‘Aamir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah ................................................ 534
4. The delegation of ‘Abd al-Qays....................................................................... 535
5. The delegation of Banu Hanifah – 9 A.H. ..................................................... 536
6. The delegation of Tayy...................................................................................... 537
7. The delegation of Kindah.................................................................................. 538
8. The delegation of Ash‘ariyyin ......................................................................... 538
9. The delegation of Azd ....................................................................................... 539
10. The delegation of Banu Haaris ...................................................................... 539
11. The delegation of Hamdaan ........................................................................... 540
12. The delegation of Muzaynah ......................................................................... 540
13. The delegation of Daus ................................................................................... 541
14. The delegation of Christians from Najraan ................................................ 541
Mubaahalah (invoking curses) ............................................................................. 543
15. Farwah ibn ‘Amr Juzaami .............................................................................. 545
16. Dimam ibn Sa‘labah comes to Madinah ...................................................... 546
17. The delegation of Taariq ibn ‘Abdillah Muhaaribi and the Bani
Muhaarib .................................................................................................................. 547
18. The delegation of Tujib ................................................................................... 548
19. The delegation of Huzaym ............................................................................. 549
20. The delegation of Bani Fazaarah ................................................................... 549
21. The delegation of Bani Asd – 9 A.H. ............................................................ 550
22. The delegation of Bahraa’............................................................................... 550
23. The delegation of ‘Udhrah.............................................................................. 551
24. The delegation of Baliyy ................................................................................. 551
25. The delegation of Bani Murrah ..................................................................... 552
26. The delegation of Khaulaan ........................................................................... 552
27. The delegation of Muhaarib ........................................................................... 552
28. The delegation of Suda’................................................................................... 553
29. The delegation of Ghassaan ........................................................................... 553
30. The delegation of Salaamaan ......................................................................... 553
31. The delegation of Bani ‘Abas ......................................................................... 554
32. The delegation of Ghaamid ............................................................................ 554
33. The delegation of Azd ..................................................................................... 554
34. The delegation of Bani al-Muntafiq.............................................................. 556
35. The delegation of Nakha‘................................................................................ 556
Islam is taught in Yemen....................................................................................... 556
Khaalid ibn Waleed’s  expedition to Najraan........................................ 557
Ali’s  expedition towards Yemen ............................................................. 559
Chapter 27................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 560
Hajjatul Wadaa – The Farewell Haj ....................................................
.................................................... 560
The Farewell Sermon ............................................................................................. 561
The sermon at Ghadir Khum ............................................................................... 562
Return to Madinah ................................................................................................. 562
Jibraa’eel  comes to Rasulullah  ............................................ 563
The military expedition of Usaamah ibn Zaid  ..................................... 563
Chapter 28 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 565
Preparation for the journey to the hereafter .....................................
..................................... 565
Rasulullah  falls ill ............................................................................... 567
Faatimah  cries and smiles........................................................................ 567
The incident of Qirtaas.......................................................................................... 568
Rasulullah’s  final sermon .................................................................. 570
Rasulullah’s  last Salaah with congregation ................................... 572
The day of Rasulullah’s  demise ....................................................... 573
Rasulullah  in the throes of death..................................................... 574
The date of Rasulullah’s  demise ...................................................... 575
The uneasiness of the Sahaabah  ............................................................ 576
Abu Bakr’s  sermon .................................................................................... 577
The remainder of Abu Bakr’s  sermon ................................................... 578
Chapter 29 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 581
The Ansaar gather at Saqeefah Bani Saa‘idah................................
....................................
.................................... 581
The burial arrangements ....................................................................................... 582
The Janaazah Salaah .............................................................................................. 583
Burial......................................................................................................................... 584
Chapter 30 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 585
Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah and the pledge of allegiance........................ 585
The speech of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah ............................................................ 586
Abu Bakr’s  speech...................................................................................... 587
Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah’s  acknowledgement................................................. 589
The general pledge after the special pledge ...................................................... 591
‘Umar  delivers a speech before the general pledge ............................. 591
Abu Bakr’s  first speech after the general pledge ................................. 592
Ali’s  pledge of allegiance.......................................................................... 593
Abu Bakr’s  intention to give up the caliphate ..................................... 595
An interesting incident.......................................................................................... 595
Chapter 31 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 597
The Pure Wives of Rasulullah  ............................................
............................................ 597
The number of Rasulullah’s  wives and the order in which he
married them ........................................................................................................... 598
Ummul-Mu’mineen Khadijah ................................................................. 598
Children .................................................................................................................... 602
Demise ...................................................................................................................... 602
Virtues and merits .................................................................................................. 603
Ummul-Mu’mineen Saudah bint Zam‘ah  ............................................ 603
Ummul-Mu’mineen Aa’ishah Siddeeqah  ............................................. 605
Knowledge ............................................................................................................... 606
Abstinence................................................................................................................ 607
Merits and virtues................................................................................................... 608
Ummul-Mu’mineen Hafsah bint Umar ................................................. 609
Ummul-Mu’mineen Zaynab bint Khuzaymah  .................................... 610
Ummul-Mu’mineen Umme Salamah bint Abi Umayyah  ................. 610
Demise ...................................................................................................................... 611
Ummul-Mu’mineen Zaynab bint Jahsh  ................................................ 612
Date of the marriage .............................................................................................. 616
Walimah ................................................................................................................... 616
Piety........................................................................................................................... 617
Worship .................................................................................................................... 618
Abstinence................................................................................................................ 619
Demise ...................................................................................................................... 619
Ummul-Mu’mineen Juwayriyah bint Haaris ....................................... 620
Ummul-Mu’mineen Umme Habibah bint Abi Sufyan  ...................... 621
Ummul-Mu’mineen Safiyyah bint Huyayy  ......................................... 624
Ummul Mu’mineen Maymoonah bint Haaris  ..................................... 626
Slave women............................................................................................................ 626
Rasulullah’s  children .......................................................................... 627
Qaasim  ......................................................................................................... 627
Zaynab ......................................................................................................... 628
Ruqayyah  .................................................................................................... 628
Umme Kulsoom  ......................................................................................... 629
Faatimah ...................................................................................................... 630
Ibraaheem  .................................................................................................... 631
Chapter 32................................................................
.........................................................................................
......................................................... 633
The blessed physical features of Rasulullah  ..................... 633
The seal of prophet-hood ...................................................................................... 633
Rasulullah’s  blessed beard................................................................. 634
The clothing of Rasulullah  ................................................................ 634
Chapter 33 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 637
The Miracles of Nabi Muhammad ......................................
...................................... 637
Miracles of barakah (blessings)............................................................................ 637
Acceptance of Duas................................................................................................ 638
Curing the sick ........................................................................................................ 639
Bringing the dead to life........................................................................................ 641
Chapter 34 ................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................ 643
Khasaa’is-e-Nabawi (Special Merits of Nabi ) ................... 643
Conclusion ................................................................
.......................................................................................
....................................................... 645
Introduction to the Abridged version
Thousands of books on the Seerah of Rasulullah  have been written and
millions of books can still be written on the noble seerah of Rasulullah ,
but justice can never be done to his blessed biography.
Studying and pondering over the life of Rasulullah  is the incumbent
duty of every Muslim. How is it possible for one to profess the kalimah and claim
to be a follower of Nabi Muhammad , but yet not know who ones’ Nabi
is.
Among the many books of seerah that have been written in recent times, Allah
Ta’ala has conferred great acceptance to the book titled “Seeratul Mustafa”,
authored by the great Muhaddith, Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi .
Great luminaries such as Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi  and other
senior Ulama have approved this book and encouraged reading and studying it.
May Allah Ta’ala reward the author abundantly and fill his grave with noor for
having prepared such a masterpiece on the life of our Master  and
presenting it to the Ummah.
By the grace of Allah Ta’ala this book has now been translated into English in
three volumes by the Ulama of Madrasah Arabia Islamia, Azaadville. Mufti
Muhammad Kadwa and Maulana Mahommed Mohammedy have done an excellent
piece of work translating the book into clear, spoken English for the benefit of the
English speaking public.
Many Madaaris and makaatib have been contemplating including this book
into the curriculum. However, since the book is quite voluminous, (each of the
three volumes consists of approximately 600 pages) including it in the curriculum
of the Makaatib in its current form was difficult. Hence a need arose to abridge the
original text into one volume thus making it easier for the public as well as
students to benefit from.
Thus with the kind permission of Moulana Abdullah Amejee Saahib (damat
barakaatuhu), the Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Ta’limi Board took up the task, with the
grace and mercy of Allah Ta’ala, as well as the duas of Hadhrat Mufti Ebraheem
Salehjee Saahib (daamat barakaatuhu), to abridge the present book, focusing more
xxiv Seeratul Mustafa 
on the life of our beloved Nabi  and omitting the scholarly discussions of
various issues that are derived from the noble seerah. This would Insha-Allah make
it easier to be used as a text book in the Madaaris as well as a handy reference book
for the general public on the auspicious life of Rasulullah .
It is only through the grace of Allah Ta’ala and the duas of our senior Ulama
that this task had been accomplished. May Allah Ta’ala accept this humble effort
and make it a means of attaining His pleasure as well as the closeness of our
beloved and noble Master, Sayyiduna, wa Moulana Muhammadur Rasulullah
. Aameen.
َ َ‫ﺐ َﻋﻠَ ْﻴ َﻨﺎ ا ِّﻧ‬

َ‫ﮏ َا ْﻧﺖ‬ َّ َ ْ َ َ َّ ؕ َّ ْ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ
ْ ‫اﻟﺴ ِﻤ ْﻴ ُﻊ ْاﻟ َﻌ ِﻠ ْﻴ ُﻢ َو ُﺗ‬ ‫رﺑﻨﺎ ﺗﻘﺒﻞ ِﻣﻨﺎ ◌ اِﻧﮏ اﻧﺖ‬
َّ ُ َّ ّ َ
‫اﻟﺮ ِﺣ ْﻴ ُﻢ‬ ‫اﻟﺘﻮاب‬
28 Sh’abaan 1434
At the Raudha Mubaarak
Aqdaam-e-Aaliyya of Rasulullah 
Madinah Munawwarah
Foreword
by Hadhrat Moulana Abdullah Amejee Saahib
(daamat barakaatuhu)
All praise is due to Allah Ta’ala, the Rabb of the universe. Peace and salutations be
upon our noble leader and master, Hadhrat Muhammad .
As Muslim parents and teachers, we find that one of the very easy ways and
means to inculcate Islam into our children and nurture them in the way of the
Sunnah, is to show them the most perfect and ideal role model. This is none other
than Nabi Muhammad . The importance of teaching the Seerah to a child
can never be over emphasised. In this day and age, it is of vital importance to
educate every Muslim child about the life of Rasulullah . If this is done,
then Insha Allah, at every point in his/her life, the child will tend to hold onto the
example of Rasulullah . This is because at some point during a persons’
life, he/she tends to look for a role model, an example, someone to hold onto.
In His infinite grace and mercy, Allah Ta’ala has given every Muslim the
perfect and ideal role model, someone sent to teach us what life is about and what
are our responsibilities. This particular role model has been sent as a mercy to the
universe. Unlike the leaders of other religions, every aspect of his life, private or
public, has been recorded and transmitted to us authentically. There is probably no
other individual about whom so much has been written in such detail and with
such authenticity, like Hadhrat Muhammad .
There were many classic Arabic works available on the life of Rasulullah
. The great scholars of Deoband then translated many of them and
compiled various others in Urdu and Persian. One of the classic Urdu works that
has been drawn from the many voluminous Arabic works is the masterpiece of
Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Idrees Kaandhlawi , Seeratul Mustafaa. For a
long time, there was a call and need to have this work translated into English, and
through the mercy of Allah Ta’ala, this has materialised after many years of hard
work.
xxvi Seeratul Mustafa 
Looking at the need to present this classical work to the young mind, the
Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Ta’limi Board has abridged this wonderful book. We hope
that this service is accepted in the court of Allah Ta’ala, and we make dua that the
entire ummah draws maximum benefit from this beautiful work. Aameen.
(Hadhrat Moulana) Abdullah Amejee (Saahib)

Senior Ustaaz, Darul Uloom Azaadville
Head of Publication Department,
Madrasah Arabia Islamia, Azaadville,
South Africa
18 Zul Qa’dah 1434
24 September 2013
Foreword
by Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf ‘Ali Thaanwi ˛
ُ ْ ‫< نَب ّيه ذِى‬
ۡ‫ال ُلق ۡال َع ِظي ِم‬ ٰ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ ۡ َ
ّ
‫ل الكِي ِم والصلوة‬ َ ۡ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ
ِ ِِ ِ ِ ‫ِ الع‬4ِ ‫المد‬
This humble servant Ashraf ‘Ali hereby says that I have heard a few selected
portions of the book, as mentioned below - recited before me by the honourable
author himself Maulana Hafiz Muhammad Idrees Kaandhelwi Saahib.
The portions of the book recited to me are: firstly, the preface of the book,
secondly, the topic dealing with the origination of divine revelation (Wahi) in
which the author discusses pious dreams being an element of prophethood and its
wisdom and underlying mysteries, thirdly, the lecture of Hadhrat Ja’far , in
the royal court of Najaashi (Negus), fourthly, the part dealing with the As-haabe-
Suffah and fifthly, the section discussing the unblemished nature of the Ambiyaa
 even before prophet-hood. Masha Allah, the author certainly discharged
all the vital aspects and necessary dues involved in the compilation of Seerah. May
Allah Ta’ala reward him abundantly.
This humble servant offered the author some advice at some points of the
compilation, which he enthusiastically accepted. This is a stark indication of his
sincerity. Allahumma Zid Fazid. Aameen. If I had the time and ability to listen to
the book from cover to cover, I would have, but my weakness and limited time has
prevented me from this. Nonetheless, I anticipate that the rest of the book will
prove to be a manifestation of the verse:
ْ ْٰ
﴾ؕ ۴﴿ ٰ ‫ﻚ ﻣﻦ اﻻ ۡو‬‫ﻟ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻼﺧﺮة ﺧ‬
‫ﲑ‬

‫و ﻟ‬
“Certainly the latter would be better for you than the former”.
(In other words, I have sampled a few pages of the book and I anticipate the rest of
the book to be more superior to the few pages I have sampled.)
I conclude this note with a word of exclusive advice, a word of general advice
and finally with a dua.
xxviii Seeratul Mustafa 
My general advice is directed to the readers of the book at large. A person who
has basic knowledge of Urdu should not deprive himself of either teaching or
studying this book. The most beneficial advantage of this would be that the reader
would somewhat familiarise himself with his master, Rasulullah  and this
familiarity will naturally increase the love for Rasulullah  and this love,
as promised, guarantees the company of Rasulullah  in Jannah. Who can
have doubts about this being an immense fortune?
My dua is that may Allah Ta’ala bestow the author with spiritual and physical,
worldly and eternal blessings and May He render this book meritoriously accepted
and beneficial. Aameen.
Ashraf ‘Ali
Thaanabowan
9th Shawwaal 1358
Preface
by Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi 
َ ٰ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ ۡ ّ َ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ
‫ ُم < َس ّيِدنا‬K‫الس‬ ‫ب العل ِمي والعاق ِبة ل ِلمتقِي والصلوة و‬ ِ ‫ِ ر‬4ِ ‫المد‬
ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ
َ ‫< ا ٰ ِل َوا َ ۡص َحابه َوا َ ۡز‬
‫جه‬
ِ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ِ ‫نبِياءِ والمرسلِي و‬O‫نا مم ٍدخات ِم ا‬O‫ومو‬
َ َ ۡ َ ‫َو ُذ ّر َّيات ِه ا‬
- ‫ا َّم َاب ۡع ُد‬- ‫جع ۡ َِي‬ ِ
For every Muslim it is more important to know about the Seerah of Nabi
Muhammad  than to know about himself. In order to be able to protect
and preserve our Imaan and to be able to act on the injunctions of Islam, we need
to be aware of the Sunnah of Rasulullah  and the teachings he left behind
for the Ummat. Allah Ta’ala forbid, if the existence of Rasulullah  is
dismissed, the very survival of a believer’s Imaan is in danger. This is why Allah
Ta’ala says:
ْ ‫اﻟﻨ ا ْو ٰ ﺑﺎﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ ﻣ ْﻦ اﻧۡﻔﺴ‬

$
“The Nabi is closer to the believers than what they are to their own lives.” [Surah
Ahzaab verse 6]
As for the disbelievers, the study of the Seerat of Rasulullah  will be a
form of invitation towards Imaan and towards the truth. A number of nations
compiled biographies and historical accounts of their prophets and other leaders
but their compilations are unfortunately incomplete. Those who could not even
preserve the scripture they regard as a heavenly book, those who are not even
aware of when, how, upon whom and why certain verses were revealed, those who
do not even have the slightest knowledge of the whereabouts of their leaders
graves, how can such nations ever present a comprehensive biography and life
history of their leaders? Let alone their life history, their disciples are unable to
trace with any authenticity the teachings and scriptures of their religion.
XXX Seeratul Mustafa 
Alhamdulillah, only the Ummah of Rasulullah  can lay claim to this

honour. This is the only Ummah which is able to present the words and actions of
their Nabi  with an uninterrupted chain of narrators. This is the only
Ummah so familiarly attached to their Nabi . From the time of Rasulullah
 right up to this present day, there has never been a single moment when
this Ummah was detached from its Nabi .
The entire collection of Hadith makes up the Seerah of Rasulullah .
However, in the terminology of our earlier predecessors, Seerat referred to a
combination of military expeditions and swift attacks during the lifetime of
Rasulullah .
Now I wish to conclude my preface and proceed with my actual objective of
this book. I also make dua: “O Allah! Accept the services of this humble servant and
render this compilation a source of perpetual reward and provision for the
hereafter.” Aameen.

“Although my gift may be unacceptable,
There is nothing beyond Your mercy.”
َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ
َ ۡ‫ك اَن‬
ُ ‫ت الَّ َّو‬
‫اب‬ ‫ربنا تقبل مِنا ا ِنك انت الس ِميع العلِيم وتب علينا ۚ ا ِن‬
َ ۡ ‫ِي يَا َر َّب ۡال ٰعلَم‬
‫ي‬ َ ۡ ‫ اٰم‬. ‫ح ۡي ُم‬ َّ
ِ ‫الر‬
ِ
“O Allah! Accept from us. You are all-hearing, all-knowing. And forgive us, You
are all-forgiving, merciful.” Aameen
O Allah! Shower your mercy upon him who says Aameen upon this dua whether
he says it audibly or inaudibly. Also forgive the person who raises his hands to
make dua of forgiveness for this humble servant and recites Surah Faatihah and at
least a few verses or whatever possible and conveys the reward to me.
ّٰ
ِ4ِ ‫ال ۡم ُد‬ َ ۡ ‫ي َو‬ َ ۡ ِ‫< ال ۡ ُم ۡر َسل‬َ َ ٌ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ َّ ۡ ّ َ َ ّ َ َ ٰ ْ ُ
‫ب العِزة ِ عما ي ِصفون وسلم‬ ِ ‫سبحن رب ِك ر‬
َ َ َُ َ َ َ ٰ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ ۡ ّ َ
‫نا م َّم ٍد خات ِم‬O‫ ُم < َس ّيِ ِدنا َو َم ۡو‬K‫الس‬ ‫ب العل ِمي والصلوة و‬ ِ ‫ر‬
َٰ َ َۡ َ ُۡۡ َ َ َۡۡ
َ ۡ َ ‫< ا ٰ ِل َوا َ ۡص َحابه َو ا َ ۡز َواجهِ َو ذُ ّر َّيات ِهِ ا‬
. ‫ج ِع ۡ َي‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫نبِياءِ والمرسلِي و‬O‫ا‬
Chapter 1
Untainted Family Lineage
Allah Ta’ala says:
ُ َ َۡ ٌ ُ ٓ ََ
‫لق ۡد َجا َءك ۡم َر ُس ۡول ّم ِۡن انفسِ ك ۡم‬
“Verily a messenger has come to you from the best amongst yourselves….”
Hadhrat Anas  reports that Rasulullah  recited the verse “Laqad Jaa
akum ….” (with a Fat-hah on the word Anfas). In other words, verily a prophet of
Allah has come to you from amongst your most superior, noble and virtuous
families. After the recitation of this verse, Rasulullah  said: “In terms of
family lineage, I am the most noble and superior of you. From the time of Aadam
 right up to me, there was no adultery. All of us (our ancestors) were born in
wedlock.”
When the Roman emperor asked Abu Sufyaan about the family lineage of
Rasulullah  in the following words: “What is his family like amongst
you?” Abu Sufyaan replied: “He is amongst us a man of prominent lineage.”
When the Roman emperor heard the response of Abu Sufyaan, he remarked:
َ َ َ ۡ ‫ث‬ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َ
"‫اب ق ۡو ِم َها‬
ِ ‫ف احس‬ ِ ‫"وكذل ِك الرسل تبع‬
“Similarly, all prophets are sent forth from the most distinguished families of their
nations.”
The lineage of our holy Prophet Muhammad  is the most noble and
dignified lineage of all the diverse family lineages of the world. This golden lineage
is recorded as follows:
Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib bin Haashim bin ‘Abdu Manaaf bin
Qusay bin Kilaab bin Murrah bin K‘ab bin Luwayy bin Ghaalib bin Fihr bin Maalik
bin Nadr bin Kinaanah bin Khuzaimah bin Mudrikah bin Ilyaas bin Mudar bin
Nizaar bin Ma‘ad bin ‘Adnaan.
1
2 Seeratul Mustafa 
Maternal Lineage
The family lineage mentioned above was Rasulullah’s  paternal lineage.
His maternal lineage is as follows:
Muhammad bin Aaminah bint Wahab bin ‘Abdu Manaaf bin Zuhrah bin Kilaab
bin Murrah.
His paternal and maternal lineages meet up at Kilaab bin Murrah.
Hereunder is a brief profile of a few of Rasulullah’s  forefathers.
‘Adnaan: He is from the progeny of Qaydar bin Ismaa’eel.
Ma‘ad: Ma‘ad was an extraordinarily strong and gallant warrior. He spent his
entire life fighting against the Bani Israa’eel and he established his triumph in
every one of these battles. Abu Nazar was his title.
Ma‘ad bin ‘Adnaan was a twelve year old lad during the reign of the famous
king Bukhtenasr. Allah Ta’ala informed the prophet of that era Armiyaa bin
Halqiyaa  through divine revelation to convey the following message to
Bukhtenasr: “We (i.e. Allah Ta’ala) pledge to grant you (i.e. Bukhtenasr) dominance
over the Arabs. And you O Prophet! Take away this young boy, Ma‘ad bin ‘Adnaan
with you on your horse (Buraaq) so that he does not suffer any harm. I will extract
from Ma‘ad’s loins a noble prophet with whom I will seal the succession of
prophets.”
Accordingly, Hadhrat Armiyaa  mounted his Buraaq, seated the young
Ma‘ad bin ‘Adnaan with him and dropped him off in Syria. Here he lived with the
Bani Israa-eel and grew up with them. This is one of the reasons the lineage of
Ma‘ad bin ‘Adnaan is so well known amongst the ‘Ulama of the Ahl-e-Kitaab (Jews
and Christians).
Nizaar: When Nizaar was born, his forehead was glittering with the Nur
(radiance) of Muhammad . His father was overjoyed and in celebration
of this joy, invited people over for a feast and remarked: “All this is Nazr (very
little) in lieu of the rights of this child.” This is how he got the name Nizaar.
Nizaar was the most strikingly handsome and exceptionally brilliant man of
his times.
Some are of the opinion that Nizaar means skinny and weak. Since he was a
man of slender build, he was referred to as Nizaar.
He is buried in Zaatul-Jaysh, an area close to Madinah Munawwarah.
Mudar: His actual name was ‘Amr. Abu Ilyaas was his appellation whilst Mudar
was his title. The name Mudar is derived from Madir, which literally means sour.
He was incredibly fond of sour foods and sour milk.
He was a remarkably talented and wise man. Some of his words of wisdom are
as follows:
Chapter 1 3
< ‫من يزرع شا يصد ندامة وخي الي اعجله فاحلوا انفسكم‬
‫ الصب‬O‫ح والفساد ا‬K‫مكروهها واصفوها عن هواها فليس بي الص‬
“He who sows evil will reap sorrow. The best form of goodness is that which is done
without delay. So influence your hearts to embrace whatever they loath to carry out
and divert the hearts from succumbing to their base desires. There is no
distinguishing feature between evil and good except patience.”
He was a man with a remarkably melodious voice. The technique of Haadi (a
chorus of chants sung to prompt the camels to move at a more rapid pace) was
actually formulated by him.
‘Abdullah bin Khaalid narrates that Rasulullah  said: “Do not speak
ill of Mudar as he was a Muslim.”
Ibn ‘Abbaas  said: “Adnaan, his father, his sons S‘ad, Rabi’ah, Mudar,
Qays, Tameem, Asad and Rudayyah all died on Millat-e-Ibraaheemi (the creed of
Ibraaheem).”
Ilyaas: He was the namesake of Hadhrat Ilyaas . The Sunnah (tradition) of
herding the Hadi (sacrificial) animals towards Baitullaah (in Makkah) was
instituted by Ilyaas bin Mudar. It has been said that Ilyaas bin Mudar would quite
often hear from his own back the Talbiyah of Haj being recited by Rasulullah
. It has also been narrated that Rasulullah  said: “Do not speak
ill of Ilyaas as he was a Muslim.”
Mudrikah: Most Ulama are of the opinion that Mudrikah’s name was ‘Amr.
Mudrikah is derived from Idraak, literally meaning achievement. Since he achieved
virtually every form of stature in his life, he was awarded the title of Mudrikah, the
achiever.
Khuzaymah: Ibn ‘Abbaas  says that Khuzaymah died on Millat-e-
Ibraaheemi (the creed of Ibraaheem ).
Kinaanah: He was regarded in high esteem amongst all Arabs. Due to his noble
graciousness and vast knowledge, people would travel far and wide just to pay him
a special visit.
Nadr: Nadr is derived from Nadaarah, which means luminous and verdant.
Owing to his exceptional handsomeness he was entitled Nadr. His actual name was
Qays.
Maalik: His first name was Maalik whilst his title was Abul-Haarith. He was one
of the most prominent chieftains of the Quraysh.
Fihr: Fihr was his first name whilst Quraysh was his title. According to some, his
name was Quraysh whilst his title was Fihr. His descendants are referred to as
Qurayshi whilst other Arab descendants not hailing from Fihr are referred to as
Kinaani. Some ‘Ulama are of the opinion that the term Quraysh is used to refer to
the progeny of Nadr bin Kinaanah.
Hafiz ‘Iraaqi writes:
‫كثون الـض‬O‫جاعها وا‬ ‫صح فهر‬O‫اما قريش فا‬

As for Quraysh, the most authentic (opinion) is that they are (the descendants) of
Fihr but most are of the (opinion) that they (are the descendants) of Nadr.
Reason for the name of Quraysh

Quraysh is actually the name of a marine animal, which, owing to its great
strength, dominates all other marine animals. It promptly devours all other sea
creatures but none dares to overwhelm it. Similarly, the Quraysh, owing to their
unrivalled valour and incredible courage, always maintained their dominance over
the other tribes. None dared to overwhelm them. This is why they were referred to
as Quraysh.
K‘ab: The person to initiate the weekly congregation on Fridays was K‘ab bin
Luway. K‘ab bin Luway would assemble all the people every Friday and deliver a
sermon. He would firstly praise Allah Ta’ala and explain that Allah Ta’ala created
the skies, the earth, the moon, the sun and all other forms of creation. He would
then go on to give them some advice. He would encourage them to maintain
favourable family ties. He would also mention: “A prophet is to appear amongst my
descendants. If you happen to encounter that time, make sure you follow him.” At
times he would recite the following stanza:
ً َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َّ َ َ ٌ ْ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٌ َ ََۡ َ
‫نا‬O‫ال َّق خذ‬ ‫ا ِذا قريش تبغ‬ ِ‫اء دع َوتِه‬ ‫يالت ِن شاهِد فحو‬
“If only I could be present when he (Rasulullah ) proclaims his message,
when the Quraysh will irrationally shun the truth and forsake him rather
deplorably.”
‘Abdu Manaaf: Imaam Shaafi’ee  says that ‘Abdu Manaaf’s name was
Mughirah. He was exceptionally handsome and striking. This is why he was
known as Qamar Al-Bathaa (the moon of the valley of Makkah). The following
statement was found inscribed on a stone:
ّٰ ٰ
‫ وصلة الرحم‬4‫انا المغية بن قص امر بتقوى ا‬
Chapter 1 5
“I, Mughirah bin Qusayy, enjoin Allah-consciousness and maintenance of

favourable family ties.”
Haashim: Imaam Maalik  and Imaam Shaafi’ee  say that Haashim’s
actual name was ‘Amr. During a severe drought in Makkah, Haashim fed its
inhabitants with roti crushed into gravy, hence the name Haashim. (Haashim
means the crusher).
As a poet says:
‫ورجال مكة مسنتون عجاف‬ ‫ هشم الثيد لقومه‬K‫عمرو الع‬

“The exalted ‘Amr crushed bread into Thareed (meat dish) and fed it to his people
and to all others when the people of Makkah were left pathetically feeble by the
drought.”
This did not occur only once, but he fed them in this manner on a number of
occasions. He was exceedingly generous. His food table was enormously wide. His
table was open to every newcomer or traveller. He would provide the poor
travellers with camels to complete their journeys. He was exceptionally handsome.
The noor of prophethood would glimmer on his forehead. The Ulama of the Bani
Israa’eel would fall into sajdah and kiss his hands whenever they caught sight of
him.
A number of Arab tribes and the Ulama of the Banu Israa’eel would offer their
daughters’ hands in marriage to Haashim. In fact, on one occasion, Heraclius, the
Byzantine emperor wrote to Haashim thus: “I have learnt of your unrivalled
generosity. I wish to grant you my daughter’s hand in marriage. She is a princess
unparalleled in beauty. In order to perform the nikah with the princess, kindly
come over to us.” However, Haashim refused to accept the proposal. In actual fact,
the emperor’s key objective was to transmit the noor of prophethood that was
glimmering on Haashims forehead into the royal family. It is said that Haashim
passed away at the age of twenty-five.
Haashim was the first to initiate the custom of sending off two trade caravans
a year; a caravan to Syria in summer and a caravan to Yemen in winter. According
to this unvarying custom, a caravan would set out in every season of the year. Over
desolate swathes of land, through scorching deserts and dangerous journeys by
land and sea, these caravans would travel in winter towards Yemen and beyond
going right up to as far as Ethiopia. Negus, the emperor of Ethiopia was
exceedingly hospitable towards Haashim and would present a number of gifts to
him. In summer, the caravans would travel to Syria (including Jordan and
Lebanon), Gaza and Ankara (which was then the capital of Rome). Heraclius, the
Byzantine emperor would also approach Haashim with utmost respect and would
often present gifts to him.
A poet encapsulates:
َۡ ََ ٓ ّ َ َ َ َ
‫ ۡصيَاف‬O‫َسف َر الشِ َتاءِ َورِ ۡحلة ا‬ ِ‫َسف َر ۡي ِن َس َّن َها ُل َولِق ۡو َمه‬
“Haashim initiated two journeys for himself and for his people, A journey in winter
whilst another journey in summer.”
Haashim secured assurances of extensive protection from the Yemeni as well as the
Roman governments for his trade caravans. Since the trade routes of Arabia were
not really safe from robbers, Haashim put in place a pact with all various tribes of
the peninsula assuring them that we (the Makkans) would freely transport your
basic necessities to you whilst you in turn should pledge a safe passage to all our
caravans passing through your tribal lands. As a result of Haashim’s brilliant
strategy, all the trade routes leading to and from Makkah were rendered safe.
Allah Ta’ala also draws the attention of the Quraysh to this bounty in the
following words:
ۡ َ َ ْ ۡ َۡ َّ َٓ ّ ََ ۡ ۡ ٰ ۡ ُ َۡ
ِ ‫ٱلشتاءِ َوٱلص ۡي ِف فل َيع ُب ُدوا َر َّب هٰذا ٱلَ ۡي‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫يل ٰ ِف ق َري ٍش إِل ِف ِهم ِرحلة‬Oِِ
َ ٰ َ ۡ َّ
‫ِي أ ۡط َع َم ُه ۡم ۙ ّم ِۡن ُج ۡو ٍع َّوا َم َن ُه ۡم ّم ِۡن خ ۡو ٍف‬‫ٱل‬
“(With the grace of Allah) Due to the habituated custom of the Quraysh, their
habitual custom of setting forth in winter and summer, (as a form of gratitude),
they should worship Allah, the Lord of this house, He who has fed them against
hunger and shielded them from fear.” [Al-Quraysh verses 1-4]
During the days of Haj, Haashim would feed all the pilgrims with meat, roti,
saweeq and dates. He would also provide water for them. He would make similar
provisions for them at Mina, Muzdalifah and ‘Arafaat.
Umayyah bin ‘Abdu Shams was incredibly perturbed by Haashim’s generosity
and he became upset over Haashim’s influence over the Arabs. Umayyah also
attempted to feed the pilgrims just as Haashim was feeding them. However, in spite
of his privileged affluence, he was unable to compete with Haashim.
This is the catalyst that sparked off a succession of the relentless hostilities
between the Banu Haashim and the Banu Umayyah clans.
On one occasion, Haashim accompanied a trade caravan that halted at
Madinah (probably en route to Syria). His gaze fell on a woman in the market place
of Madinah. Apart from her exceptional beauty, her exquisite facial features
portrayed a woman of noble reputation and keen intelligence. Haashim made some
enquiries to establish whether she was married or single. He learnt that she was
married to Asihah bin Jallah from whom she mothered two sons; ‘Amr and
Ma’bad. Asihah later divorced her.
Haashim sent her a proposal of marriage, which, due to his nobility of lineage
and gracious character, she enthusiastically accepted and this Nikah was
performed. The lady’s name was Salma binte ‘Amr who was from the Banu Najjaar
Chapter 1 7
tribe. After the Nikah, Haashim gave a ceremonial feast from which all his co-
travellers partook and a few people from the Khazraj tribe were also invited.
Haashim stayed on in Madinah for a few days after the Nikah. Salma fell
pregnant subsequent to which ‘Abdul Muttalib was born. He was born with a
single strand of white hair. This is why he was referred to as Shaybah (which
means to turn white in old age). In the meantime, Haashim departed for Gaza with
the trade caravan. He passed away in Gaza and he is also buried there.
‘Abdul Muttalib: His name was Shaybatul-Hamd. He was incredibly handsome.
A poet describes his beauty thus:
‫م الليل كلقمر الدري‬K‫يضي ظ‬ ‫< شيبة المد الي كن وجهه‬

“Like the luminance of the fourteenth moon, Shaybatul-Hamd’s face brightens the
darkness of the night.”
‘Abdul Muttalib literally means ‘the slave of ‘Muttalib’. On the death of Haashim,
‘Abdul Muttalib’s mother lived with her people, the Banu Khazraj, for some time in
Madinah Munawwarah. As he grew older, his uncle Muttalib from Makkah came
to Madinah to fetch him. As they entered Makkah, ‘Abdul Muttalib was seated on
the camel behind his uncle. Shaybah’s (i.e. ‘Abdul Muttalib’s) clothes were dirty
and his features showed his orphaned status. When asked who this boy was, out of
fear of embarrassment, Muttalib replied: “He is my slave.” He did not want to
declare that this was his nephew because people would question as to why his
nephew was in such filthy attire. This is how he stuck with the name ‘Abdul
Muttalib (the slave of Muttalib). When he reached Makkah itself, Muttalib dressed
him up in fine clothing and then revealed that this boy was his nephew.
Amongst the Quraysh, ‘Abdul Muttalib was the most handsome, the most
strong and robust, the most tolerant and composed, the most charitable and noble
and the most shunning of evil and immorality. He was admittedly the greatest
leader of the Quraysh.
‘Abdul Muttalib’s generosity significantly outshone that of his father
Haashim. ‘Abdul Muttalib’s hospitality went beyond humankind to embrace even
the beasts and birds. This is why the Arabs fondly remembered him as Fayyad
(extremely generous) and Mut‘imu Tayris-Sama (the sustainer of the birds of the
sky). He made alcohol forbidden upon himself. He paid particular attention to
feeding the destitute in the holy month of Ramadhaan. He initiated the tradition of
seclusion and isolation in the cave of Hira.
‘Abdul Muttalib’s Dream and the Well of Zam Zam

The birthplace of the Jurhum tribe was actually Yemen. Due to divine intervention,
a severe drought struck Yemen and this forced the Banu Jurhum to leave Yemen in
search of more promising livelihood. During the course of their travels, they
coincidentally met Hadhrat Ismaa’eel  and his honourable mother Hadhrat

Haajrah  in the vicinity of the Zam Zam well. Banu Jurhum grew fond of
this area and decided to settle down here. After some time, Hadhrat Ismaa’eel
 married a lady from the same tribe. Once he was privileged with the title of
prophethood, he was commissioned to the ‘Amaliqah, Jurhum and the people of
Yemen. He passed away at the age of one hundred and thirty and was buried in the
Hateem area close to the grave of his honourable mother.
After his demise and in accordance with his parting advice, his son Qaydar
assumed the role of trustee of the K‘abah. In this manner, the Banu Ismaa’eel
remained as trustees of the K‘abah for quite some time. With the passage of time,
hostilities and aggression erupted between the Banu Ismaa’eel and the Banu
Jurhum. In due course the latter prevailed and subsequently established their rule
over Makkah. Before long, the Jurhum rulers unleashed an aggressive bout of
tyranny and cruelty over the people of Makkah. This ruthless brutality drove the
Banu Ismaa’eel out of Makkah and forced them to settle on the outskirts. When
their brutal tyranny, ghastly immorality and their disrespect of the Baitullah went
beyond tolerable boundaries, all the Arab tribes joined hands to challenge their
transgressions. As a consequence, the Banu Jurhum were compelled to flee from
Makkah. However, as they were departing from Makkah, they buried a number of
relics of the K‘abah in the well of Zam Zam, filled sand into it and brought it level
to the ground in such a manner that no sign of the well could be detected. After the
evacuation of the Banu Jurhum, the Banu Ismaa’eel returned to Makkah and settled
down but not a soul paid any attention to the well of Zam Zam. With the passage
of time, not a single trace of the well was left and it fell into total oblivion.
When the rule of Makkah fell onto the shoulders of ‘Abdul Muttalib and the
divine will of Allah Ta’ala decreed that the well which had been totally forgotten
should now be disclosed, by means of pious dreams ‘Abdul Muttalib was directed
to dig up the area of the well. Distinguishing markings and distinctive clues
pointing out the whereabouts of the well were also revealed to him in the dream.
‘Abdul Muttalib himself says: “I was once asleep in the Hateem area when a person
came up to me in a dream and instructed: ‘Dig up Barrah.’ As I enquired, ‘What is
Barrah?’ he departed. On the second day I was sleeping on the same spot when the
same man again directed me in my dream: ‘Go and dig up Al-Madnunah.’ When I
asked him: ‘What is Al-Madnunah?’ he went away. On the third day I was sleeping
at the same spot when he again appeared in my dream and commanded: ‘Go and
dig up Tayyibah.’ As I enquired what Tayyibah is, he once again headed off. On
the fourth day, he ordered me: ‘Go and dig up Zam Zam.’ Again I asked: ‘What is
Zam Zam?’ Upon this he replied: ‘It is a well whose water neither runs dry nor
decreases in volume and it provides countless number of pilgrims with drinking
water.’ He then went on to point out a few distinctive clues precisely indicating
where I should dig.”
The recurring nature of the dream coupled with a detailed location of the area
convinced ‘Abdul Muttalib that this is a true dream. ‘Abdul Muttalib informed the
Chapter 1 9
Quraysh of his dream and informed them of his decision to dig up a certain point
of the Haram. The Quraysh opposed him but he could not be bothered with their
resistance. Hoisting his pick and shovel, he set out with his son Haaris and
commenced digging at the designated spot. ‘Abdul Muttalib would go on
burrowing whilst Haaris would scoop up and dispose of the sand. On the third day,
he came across a deep hole. Out of extreme delight, he burst out chanting “Allahu
Akbar, Allahu Akbar!” He then happily remarked:
ٰ ‫هذا طوى‬
‫اسمعيل‬
“This is evidently the well of Ismaa’eel.”
‘Abdul Muttalib thereafter constructed a few ponds close to the well of Zam Zam.
He would fill these with Zam Zam water and readily provide it to the pilgrims.
However, during the hours of darkness, some distressingly jealous people would
maliciously cause damage to these ponds. ‘Abdul Muttalib would then repair the
damage early the next morning. Upset with such recurrent nasty acts, ‘Abdul
Muttalib implored Allah Ta’ala in dua. He was divinely instructed in a dream to
recite the following dua:
ّٰ
‫ احلها لمغتسل ولكن ه لشارب حل‬O ‫الل ُه َّم ان‬
“O Allah! I do not render the water of Zam Zam Halaal for bathing but it is
permitted only for drinking purposes.”
The very next morning, ‘Abdul Muttalib publicly announced this verdict.
Thereafter, whoever attempted to damage any of the ponds, would indeed fall prey
to some ailment or the other. When such woeful incidents of misfortune multiplied,
the jealous people stopped damaging the ponds.
‘Abdul Muttalib’s Vow

Whilst in the process of excavating through the earth to get to the well of Zam
Zam, besides his only son Haaris, ‘Abdul Muttalib had no other assistant to lend a
hand. This is why he took an oath to the effect that if Allah Ta’ala blesses him with
ten sons, who would grow up to be his helping hands, he would slaughter one of
them in the name of Allah.
When Allah Ta’ala fulfilled this cherished aspiration by granting him ten sons,
he was fast asleep one night in front of the K‘abah when he saw a vision of a
person instructing him:
‫يا عبدالمطلب اوف بنذرك لرب هذا اليت‬

“O ‘Abdul Muttalib! Fulfil your vow that you had pledged for the Lord of this sacred
house.”
On awakening from this dream, ‘Abdul Muttalib summoned all his sons and
revealed his vow and subsequent dream to them. With one voice they all
submitted:
‫اوف بنذرك وافعل ما شئت‬

“Fulfil your vow and do as you please.”
‘Abdul Muttalib drew lots for all his sons and ‘Abdullah, his most beloved son’s
name came up in the draw. He grasped ‘Abdullah’s hand and proceeded with a
knife towards the sacrificial quarters. When ‘Abdullah’s sisters witnessed this
distressing sight, they were moved to weeping in anguish. One of them pleaded
with the father to draw another lot with ten camels against ‘Abdullah’s name. If
the lot is drawn in favour of the ten camels, slaughter the camels but we implore
you to leave ‘Abdullah alone. At that time, ten camels was the blood money paid to
a murdered victim’s family. When he drew lots a second time, ‘Abdullah’s name
came up again. ‘Abdul Muttalib added on ten camels and drew lots again. Once
more, ‘Abdullah’s name came up. ‘Abdul Muttalib continued adding ten camels
each time he drew lots but on every occasion, ‘Abdullah’s name came up. When he
eventually reached a hundred camels, he was spared when finally the camels’ name
came up. At that instant, ‘Abdul Muttalib and the bystanders cried out in delight:
“Allahu Akbar.” ‘Abdullah’s sisters carried him away from there and ‘Abdul
Muttalib slaughtered his hundred camels between mounts Safa and Marwah.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says that initially, ten camels made up the blood money
paid to a murdered victim’s family. Amongst the Quraysh and other Arabs, ‘Abdul
Muttalib initiated the tradition of paying one hundred camels instead of the
customary ten camels as blood money. Rasulullah  also maintained this
Sunnah in Islam. Following this incident, ‘Abdullah was described with the title of
Zabeeh (the sacrificed or slaughtered one). This is the reason Rasulullah 
was referred to as Ibnuz Zabeehain (the son of two Zabeeh’s).
Hadhrat Mu‘aawiyah  says that he was once in the blessed company of
Rasulullah  when a Bedouin addressed Rasulullah  as “O son of
the two Zabeehs!” Rasulullah  merely smiled at him.
After narrating this incident, one of the attendees asked whom the two
Zabeehs were. In response, Hadhrat Mu’aawiyah  went on to recount this
incident of ‘Abdullah and said: “One was ‘Abdullah whilst the other was Ismaa’eel
.”
‘Allaamah Zarqaani  says that whenever the Quraysh were afflicted by
severe drought, they would take ‘Abdul Muttalib to Mount Thabir. With his blessed
presence they would then beg Allah Ta’ala for rain. Time and again the Quraysh
solved their problems with the Barakah (sanctified presence or blessings) of ‘Abdul
Muttalib.
Chapter 1 11
His position and conditions were immensely different from the conditions of
the other Arabs at large. He would strongly prevent his children from any form of
injustice and immorality. He would encourage them to adopt good character and
shun evil behaviour.
‘Abdul Muttalib would insist on fulfilling all vows. He forbade marriage
between the Mahaarim (like marrying one’s sister, aunt, etc.). He would restrain
people from intoxicants, adultery, burying the daughters alive, and from making
Tawaaf naked around the Baitullah. He would encourage amputating the hand of
the thief. These are issues strongly endorsed by the Qur-aan and Hadith as well.
On closer examination of the aforementioned incidents and conditions it
clearly appears that the closer the term of Nubuwwat (prophethood) approached,
the more evident became the improvement in good character, etiquette, blessings,
spiritual light and miraculous feats. This was remarkably evident in the life of
‘Abdul Muttalib where on numerous occasions he saw truthful dreams and true
dreams make up the very inception of prophethood. Whenever he was confronted
with any serious issue, ‘Abdul Muttalib would be appropriately guided by true
dreams and divine insight.
Hadhrat Waasilah bin Asq‘a  reports that Rasulullah  said:
“Allah Ta’ala preferred Banu Kinaanah from the children of Ismaa’eel and from
Banu Kinaanah He chose the Quraysh and from the Quraysh He favoured Banu
Haashim and from the Banu Haashim, He preferred me.”
Jibraa’eel  traversed the earth in search of uncontaminated souls but
since it was an era of spiritual ignorance, he did not search for outward actions but
he focused on character and capability. In this aspect, Jibraa’eel  did not find
anyone better than the Arabs in general and Banu Haashim in particular.
At that time, in certain spheres, the Arabs enjoyed such supremacy over the
other nations that none dared to challenge. For instance:
1. Family Lineage: The Arabs were so particular about family lineage that let
alone humans they would even keep in memory a record of the lineage of their
horses. They would even retain such (seemingly mundane) information as to
who was born out of a free woman and who was mothered by a slave woman,
who drank the milk of a noble woman and who was suckled by a despicable
woman. This is evident from Hadhrat Salamah bin Akw‘a’s  fiery
statement he made on the battlefield when he declared: “I am the son of Akw‘a
and today’s battle will attest who was nourished by a free woman and who
was nursed by a slave woman.” A poet of pre-Islamic times says:
‫بنو اللقيطة من ذهل بن شيبانا‬ ‫لو كنت من مازن لم تستبح ابل‬

“If I was of the Maazin tribe, the children of a foster woman attributed to Zuhal bin
Shaybaan would not have outsmarted my camel.”
As a form of ridicule, the poet refers to them as the children of an orphan. In

other words, they are not the children of a noble woman but the children of an
orphan who was abandoned on the roadside.
2. Valour and heroism: The influence of their valour was such that whilst the
Romans or Persians reduced the rest of the world to subjugation or bondage,
the Arabs in spite of their modest material possessions were not intimidated
into imperial subjugation. Their spirit of determination was such that the most
pitiable destitute would not be left awestruck whilst conversing with the
greatest of emperors.
3. Generosity and selflessness: They were so big-hearted that they would not
hesitate to slaughter a healthy camel in honour of an unexpected guest. They
were eagerly prepared to remain hungry but it was just about impossible for
the guest to go hungry.
4. Memory and intellect: The exceptional memory and outstanding intellectual
talents of the Arabs was celebrated in every corner of the globe. They could
commit to memory a hundred stanzas of a poem merely by listening to it once.
5. Personal honour and prejudiced self-esteem: They entertained such savage
levels of chauvinism and patriotism that they were prepared to sacrifice their
lives and wealth on the slightest hint of a provocative insult either against
themselves or the tribe. In fact, most hostilities and unsympathetic behaviour
amongst them were triggered by this sense of self-esteem and personal honour.
6. Eloquence of Language and Expression: No other language can rival the
Arabic language in eloquence and expression. In fact, no other language can
justifiably claim to possess books especially compiled on ‘Ilm Al-Balaaghah
(the science of eloquence and expression) and even if some may be found, they
are taken from the Arabic books. Allah Ta’ala had entrusted these outstanding
morals, exceptional abilities and excellent skills within their very nature and
disposition but due to their ignorance and foolishness they were more inclined
to focus these Allah-given talents in the wrong direction. However, when these
same skills and talents were adorned with divine knowledge and heavenly
direction, the same people who were in practice once worse than wild beasts
turned out to become far superior than the celestial angels. The same folks
who were blatantly steeped in vicious hostilities and ferocious conflicts, when
they adopted to surrender their lives in the path of Allah Ta’ala, the celestial
angels also turned up in white, yellow or black turbans fighting side by side
with them and assisting them against their mutual enemy.
Nonetheless, although the Arabs were immorally corrupt in behaviour and deed,
they were nonetheless relatively decent as far as their morals, disposition and
talents were concerned.
It is relatively easier to rectify one’s actions but to amend his character and
innate disposition is almost impossible. For this reason Allah Ta’ala selected such a
Chapter 1 13
family for His prophethood so that the Prophet who hails from this family would
also be a man of upright morals, untarnished nature and immaculate disposition. It
is absolutely crucial for a Prophet to be a man of flawless character as this will
enable him to rectify others.
‘Abdullah: Hafiz ‘Asqalaani  says that this was Rasulullah’s 
honourable father’s name and nobody disputes this fact.
This is the name most adored by Allah Ta’ala as a Hadith states that two
names are most dear to Allah Ta’ala; ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdur-Rahmaan. This is so
because the word “Allah” is the Ismul-A‘azam (the supreme name of “Allah”). It
would not be farfetched to believe that when ‘Abdullah was born, his father ‘Abdul
Muttalib was divinely inspired by Allah Ta’ala to name this blessed son with a
name most beloved to Allah Ta’ala.
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah’s Marriage to Hadhrat Aaminah

When ‘Abdul Muttalib finally fulfilled the payment of the ransom in redemption of
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah’s life, his next concern was to get him married. He sent a
marriage proposal on behalf of ‘Abdullah for the hand of Aaminah, the daughter of
Wahab bin ‘Abdu Manaaf of the eminently noble Banu Zuhrah tribe. She was then
under the guardianship of her uncle, Wuhaib bin ‘Abdu Manaaf. ‘Abdul Muttalib
also sent a marriage proposal himself for the hand of Haalah the daughter of
Wuhaib bin ‘Abdu Manaaf, Aaminah’s uncle. Both proposals were accepted and
both father and son were married in the same session. Hadhrat Hamzah , the
son of ‘Abdul Muttalib, was born from her (Haalah). Hadhrat Hamzah  was
Rasulullah’s  paternal uncle as well as his milk-brother.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says: “As ‘Abdul Muttalib set out with his son ‘Abdullah
for the imminent marriage ceremony, they came across a Jewish woman by the
name of Faatimah bintu Murr. She was well-versed with the Tawraat and Injeel.
When her gaze fell on the light of Nubuwwat radiating from ‘Abdullah’s face, she
imploringly beckoned him to come up to her and pleaded: “I will compensate you
with a hundred camels (for being illicitly intimate with me).”
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah responded with the following couplet:
ُ
‫والل فاستبينه‬ ‫اما الرام فالممات دونه‬
‫يم الكريم عرضه ودينه‬ ‫مر الي تبغينه‬O‫فكيف با‬

“Death is far easier than perpetrating a Haraam act. And such an action, which I
cannot even envisage ever occurring, cannot be permitted.
So how is it possible to perpetrate the immoral deed you are longing for? An
honourable man safeguards his honour and Deen.”
As father and son were returning home, they came across the same woman once
again. She enquired: “Where did you go after you left me?” ‘Abdullah replied: “In
the intervening period, I got married to Aaminah, the daughter of Wahab bin
‘Abdu Manaaf. After the Nikah, I stayed with her for three days.” The woman
finally revealed: “By Allah! I am not a woman of loose morals. When my gaze fell
on the light of prophethood emanating from your face, I was unable to curb my
wistful longing to transmit that Noor (glow) from your body into mine.”
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah once set out on a trade journey with a caravan bound for
Syria. Due to ill health, on the return journey, he was forced to break his journey in
Madinah Munawwarah. The moment the caravan arrived in Makkah, ‘Abdul
Muttalib enquired as to the whereabouts of ‘Abdullah. The travellers informed him
that due to ill health, ‘Abdullah decided to stop over at his maternal ancestor’s
family, the Banu Najjaar in Madinah Munawwarah. Without delay, ‘Abdul
Muttalib despatched his elder son Haaris, to Madinah Munawwarah. On reaching
Madinah, he discovered that ‘Abdullah had already departed from this world. He
was ill for almost a month and he was buried in Naabighah’s house in Madinah
Munawwarah.
Haaris returned to Makkah informing ‘Abdul Muttalib and other relatives of
this unexpected tragedy. This cast all of them into a state of utter dejection and
indescribable sorrow.
Qays Ibn Makhramah narrates that Rasulullah  was still in his
mother’s womb when his father ‘Abdullah passed away. At the time of his death,
‘Abdullah was – according to conflicting reports – either thirty, twenty five,
twenty eight or eighteen years old. Hafiz ‘Alaaie and Hafiz ‘Asqalaani say that the
view in favour of eighteen is most authentic.
On his demise, ‘Abdullah’s estate consisted of five camels, a few goats and a
slave by the name of Barakah with the title of Umme Ayman.
Incident of the People of the Elephants

Fifty or fifty five days before the birth of Rasulullah  the incident
involving the people of the elephants occurred as is prominently recorded in the
books of history and Seerat. The holy Qur-aan also devotes a whole Surah to this
particular incident. A comprehensive account of this incident is recorded in books
of Tafseer. In short, Abrahah was the governor of Yemen appointed by Najaashi
(Negus) the emperor of Abyssinia. When he noticed all the Arabs travelling to
Makkah Mukarramah to perform Tawaaf of the Baitullah, he also decided to erect
an imposing and magnificent structure in the name of Christianity so that the
Arabs may renounce the simple K‘abah and make Tawaaf of his fictitious K‘abah
instead. He therefore erected a beautiful church in the capital city of San‘aa.
When the Arabs heard of this, a member of the Kinaanah tribe defaced the
building by passing stool within its precincts and fled. Some are of the opinion that
Chapter 1 15
a few Arab youngsters lit a fire in the vicinity of the church. A gust of wind hoisted
a smouldering ember, lobbed it onto the wooden structure of the church setting it
ablaze and reducing it to ashes. This incited Abrahah into a fit of hysterical rage
and he vowed that he would not rest until he had reduced the K‘abah to ruins.
With this wicked intention, he set out to attack Makkah. En route to Makkah, the
tribes who put up resistance were subdued with the might of the sword. Together
with his terrifying army of men, he was also accompanied by a herd of elephants.
The livestock of the Makkans were grazing on the outskirts of Makkah. Abrahah’s
army seized all the grazing animals, which also comprised of two hundred camels
belonging to Rasulullah’s  grandfather ‘Abdul Muttalib. At that time,
‘Abdul Muttalib was the appointed leader of the Quraysh and a trustee of the
K‘abah. When he obtained intelligence of Abrahah’s wicked intention, he gathered
the Quraysh asking them to remain calm. “Do not worry,” he advised, “Evacuate
Makkah, nobody will be able to demolish the K‘abah. This is the sacred house of
Allah Ta’ala and He will protect it.”
Accompanied by a few leaders of Quraysh, ‘Abdul Muttalib set out to meet
Abrahah. Before he set out, ‘Abdul Muttalib conveyed a message of his imminent
arrival to Abrahah. Abrahah welcomed ‘Abdul Muttalib politely and graciously.
Allah Ta’ala had blessed ‘Abdul Muttalib with unparalleled handsomeness,
remarkable eminence, imposing awe, refined dignity and arresting majesty that left
all who came into contact with him utterly spellbound. Abrahah was also left
awestruck with the imposing personality of ‘Abdul Muttalib leaving him no choice
but to welcome his guest with absolute respect and reverence. He found it
inappropriate to seat anyone on or in line with his throne. So instead, he descended
from the throne out of respect for ‘Abdul Muttalib. During the course of their
conversation, ‘Abdul Muttalib requested Abrahah to release all his camels detained
by Abrahah’s army. Astounded by this request, Abrahah exclaimed: “It is quite
startling to hear you requesting for your camels but I see that you have not
mentioned a word about the K‘abah, which is a focal point of the Deen of your
forefathers.” ‘Abdul Muttalib calmly responded: “I am the owner of the camels
whilst the owner of the house (K‘abah) is someone else who will take care of it.” In
other words, I am the owner of the camels. This is why I have asked for their
release whilst the custodian of the K‘abah is Allah Ta’ala and He will defend it.
Following a few moments of silence, Abrahah ordered the release of all the camels.
Taking delivery of his camels, ‘Abdul Muttalib returned to his people and asked
them to evacuate Makkah. He then pledged all two hundred camels as an offering
to the K‘abah. Next, accompanied by a few people who would imploringly weep
before Allah Ta’ala, he presented himself before the door of the K‘abah. These were
his humble words of poetic dua:
ٰ َ ۡ َ‫َر ۡحلَ ُه ف‬ ّ َّ ُ
‫ام َن ۡع رِ َحالك‬ ‫ان المرء َي ۡم َن ۡع‬
ِ ‫اللهم‬
“O Allah! A man takes care of his house, You take care of Your house.
ٰ ٰ ٰ َٰ ۡ ُ ۡ َ
‫َو َعب ِدِيهِ الوم الك‬ ‫ـص < ال الصليب‬ ‫وان‬
And assist Your people against the people of the cross and its worshippers.
ٰ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫َو ِمالهم ابَ ًدا ِمالك‬ ُ
‫صليبهم‬ َّ َ ‫ َي ۡغل‬Oَ
‫ِب‬
Their cross and their schemes will never dominate Your schemes.
ٰ َ َ َ
‫َوالفيل كۡ ي َ ۡس ُبوا عيالك‬ ‫دهم‬K‫َج ُّروا جيع ب‬
They dragged along all their forces and their elephants to capture Your dependants.
ٰ َ َ ً َ
‫لك‬K‫ َو َما َرق ُب ۡوا َج‬K‫َج ۡه‬ ‫َمدوا ِحَاك بِك ۡي ِد ه ِۡم‬
Out of ignorance they have turned up to ruin Your house with their evil plots, But
they failed to consider Your unrivalled greatness.”
On completing his earnest dua, ‘Abdul Muttalib, together with his companions,
climbed the mountain leaving Makkah vacant for Abrahah and his army. As he
pressed ahead to demolish the K‘abah, miraculously and suddenly, huge flocks of
small birds appeared. Each one of them had pebbles in its beak and claws. Without
forewarning, with the divine power of Allah Ta’ala, these pebbles swiftly rained
down upon this army like volleys of lethal bullets. A pebble would strike the head
and fatally emerge from the bottom. Whoever was wretched enough to be struck
by these pebbles would be no more. This is how Abrahah’s army was completely
wiped out. Abrahah’s whole body erupted with pox-like wounds, which left his
body horribly decaying with pus and blood. One after the other, his limbs were
severed and they fell to the ground. At long last, his chest split open and his heart
popped out leaving him dead. When all of them perished, Allah Ta’ala sent a flood
that washed all of them into the sea.
َ ۡ ‫ِين َظلَ ُم ۡو ۚ َو‬

َ ‫ِ َر ّب ۡٱل َعٰلَم‬4َّ ِ ‫ٱل ۡم ُد‬
«‫ي‬ ِ َ ‫َف ُق ِط َع َداب ُر ۡٱل َق ۡو ِم َّٱل‬
ِ ِ
The roots of the oppressors have been cut off and all praise be to Allah Ta’ala
The Rabb of the worlds
Chapter 2
The Auspicious Birth
The greatest of humans, the leader of the children of Aadam , Muhammad
Mustafaa Ahmad Mujtabaa  made his blessed appearance into this world
fifty or fifty five days after the incident of the elephants at dawn on Monday the
8th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal corresponding to April 570 A.D. in Makkah Mukarramah in
Abu Taalib’s house.
Regarding the date of the blessed birth, the opinion favouring the 12th of
Rabi‘ul-Awwal is the most famous (amongst the common people). However,
according to most Muhadditheen and historians, the most preferred view is that
Rasulullah  was born on the 8th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal.
The mother of ‘Usmaan bin Abul-Aas , Faatimah bintu ‘Abdullah says:
“During the blessed birth of Rasulullah , I was with his mother Aaminah.
I clearly noticed the whole house radiating with Noor (brilliance) and I also saw the
stars stooping so low down that I thought they would come crashing down onto
me.”
‘Irbaad bin Saariyah  relates that during the blessed birth, Rasulullah’s
 mother observed a Noor (radiance) that illuminated the palaces of Syria.
According to another report, the palaces of Busra (not Basra) were illuminated.
It is reported on the authority of K‘ab Ahbaar  that the old scriptures
portray the destiny of Rasulullah  thus:
ّٰ
‫ موله بمكة ومهاجره بيثب وملكه بالشام‬4‫ممد رسول ا‬
“Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah; his birthplace will be Makkah and his migration
will be towards Yasrib (Madinah) and his rule will be over Shaam.”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  relates: “For purposes of business, a Jew was residing in
Makkah. On the night Rasulullah  was born, he asked the Quraysh if a
baby boy was born that night. The Quraysh dismissed him by indicating their
17
ignorance but he was adamant and insisted: ‘At least make some enquiries because
the Prophet of this Ummah was born tonight. This child has a symbol (seal) of
prophethood between his shoulder blades. He would not be able to drink any milk
for two days because a jinni has placed a finger over his mouth.’ Without further
delay the people got to their feet to investigate this matter. They discovered that a
boy was born to ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib. The Jew begged to be taken along
with them. When he caught sight of the symbol (seal) of prophethood between the
shoulder blades, he fell down unconscious. As he regained consciousness he
asserted: ‘Prophethood has vanished from the Bani Israa’eel. O people of Quraysh!
By Allah! This infant will launch such an attack upon you that news of this attack
will rapidly spread from east to west.’”
The Collapse of Chosroes’ Palace and the Sinking of Lake Sawah

On the same night an earth-tremor struck the palace of Chosroes causing all
fourteen towers of the palace to crumble. Furthermore, the fire that was perpetually
blazing for over a thousand years in the Persian fire-temple abruptly extinguished
itself. Lake Sawah also unexpectedly dried up. The morning found Chosroes
awfully distressed. His royal dignity prevented him from revealing his utter
despair. He eventually convened court by assembling his ministers and other pillars
of state. During the course of this assembly, he was informed that the “holy fire”
has mysteriously extinguished. This fuelled his anguish even further. What further
intensified his agony was when one of the Zoroastrian priests stood up before him
in court and said: “I saw a dream last night in which powerfully built camels are
dragging some Arabian horses. I then witnessed them crossing over the Tigris River
and fanning out to each and every country in the world.”
“So what is the interpretation of this dream, then?” asked the emperor. The
priest replied: “Perhaps a momentous incident is about to occur from the direction
of Arabia.” In order to investigate further and to put his mind to rest, the emperor
dispatched a royal edict to N‘umaan bin Munzir instructing him to send him an
eminent scholar who would be able to answer all his questions adequately.
N‘umaan bin Munzir promptly despatched a celebrated scholar by the name of
‘Abdul-Maseeh Gassaani to the emperor. When ‘Abdul-Maseeh Gassaani appeared
in court, the emperor asked: “Do you have any knowledge of whatever I wish to
ask of you?” ‘Abdul-Maseeh respectfully replied: “You may disclose to me whatever
is distressing you. If I have any knowledge I will gladly assist you otherwise I will
direct you to someone more enlightened than I am.” The emperor then brought him
up to date by describing in detail what was bothering him. ‘Abdul-Maseeh advised
him: “Perhaps my uncle, my mother’s brother, Satih, who presently resides in
Shaam would be able to assist you. Perhaps he has some information on this
matter.”
“You go ahead to your uncle and investigate this matter fully,” commanded
the emperor.
Chapter 2 19
‘Abdul-Maseeh set out for Shaam but reached his uncle Satih whilst he was
in the agony of death. He was still in his senses though. ‘Abdul-Maseeh greeted
him with Salaam and recited a few couplets to him. When Satih heard him reciting
these couplets, he turned towards him and said: “Abdul-Maseeh comes dashing to
Satih when he is about to breathe his last. Have you been sent by the Sassanidae
emperor because of the tremor that struck his palace, because the fire of the
Zoroastrians mysteriously went out and because the priest saw a dream wherein
powerfully built camels are dragging Arabian horses over the Tigris River and then
fanning out across all cities? Is this why you have come? O ‘Abdul-Maseeh! Bear in
mind that when the word of Allah is recited in abundance, when the personality
carrying an ‘Asa (staff) becomes apparent, when the valley of Samawah is gushing
forth, the lake of Sawah dries up and the Persian fire is extinguished, then Syria
will not remain Syria for Satih any more. A few men and women from the
Sassanidae dynasty will rule for a few years. The events that were ordained to
happen, regard them as already coming to pass.” Saying this, Satih breathed his
last.
‘Abdul-Maseeh returned to the emperor and fully informed him of what
transpired. Upon hearing this, the emperor exclaimed: “The elapse of fourteen
kingdoms takes a period of time but how long does it take for the passage of time?
Time glides by rather rapidly.”
Ten out of the fourteen kingdoms ceased to exist in just four years and the
remaining four were reduced to oblivion by the time Hadhrat ‘Usmaan 
ascended the office of Caliphate.
Hadhrat Abbaas  narrates that Rasulullah  was born
circumcised and furthermore, his navel was neatly cut. When his grandfather
‘Abdul-Muttalib caught sight of this, he was amazed and remarked: “Verily, this
son is bound to become a man of lofty status.” This is exactly what transpired.
Ishaaq bin ‘Abdullah  narrates from Hadhrat Aaminah that when
Rasulullah  was born, he was exceptionally clean and dirt-free. He did
not have the normal effects of after-birth or any form of dirt on his blessed body.
‘Aqeeqah and Naming

On the seventh day after Rasulullah’s  birth, ‘Abdul Muttalib performed
the ‘Aqeeqah and invited all the Quraysh to this function. He then proposed to
keep the child’s name Muhammad. The Quraysh, startled by such an innovative
name enquired: “O Abul Haaris! (This was the title of ‘Abdul Muttalib) Why do
you propose to keep a name that was certainly not kept by your forefathers or any
of your family members?” ‘Abdul Muttalib replied: “I propose to name him
Muhammad (the praised one) because I want Allah Ta’ala in the sky and His
creation on the earth to praise him.”
Before the birth of Rasulullah , ‘Abdul Muttalib actually saw a

dream that inspired him to keep the newborn child’s name Muhammad. He dreamt
that an iron chain is being extracted from his back. One end of the chain is towards
the sky and the other end is towards the earth. One end is towards the west and the
other towards the east. A little while later, the chain transforms itself into a huge
tree. Every leaf of the tree was glittering with brightness seventy times more
intense than the brilliance of the sun. People from the east as well as the west are
clinging onto its branches. Some of the Quraysh are also clinging onto this tree
whilst a few others from the Quraysh are determined to chop it down. Whenever
this group decides to approach the tree with this intention, a handsome young man
comes and pushes them aside.
In interpretation of his dream, ‘Abdul Muttalib was informed that amongst his
descendants, a boy will be born. People from the east to the west will follow him
devotedly. The beings of the sky as well as the earth will sing his praises. This is
why ‘Abdul-Muttalib kept his name Muhammad.
Whilst ‘Abdul Muttalib was reflecting over the name Muhammad, Rasulullah’s
 mother, on the other hand, saw a pious dream in which she was
informed that she is carrying the most saintly creation and the most supreme
leader of the nations. She was directed to keep his name Muhammad or according
to another narration, she was instructed to name him Ahmad.
Allah Ta’ala also mentions the same two names in the Holy Qur-aan in the
following verses:
ّٰ ُ َُ
ِ4‫م َّم ٌد َّر ُس ۡول ا‬
“Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah Ta’ala.”
ۡ ۡ ‫و ا ْذ ﻗﺎل ﻋ' ۡﺴﻲ اﺑْﻦ ﻣ ْﺮﻳﻢ ٰﻳﺒ‬

‫ﲔ ﻳ ﺪ ي ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣﺼ ﺪﻗًﺎ ﻟ ﻤﺎ ﺑ‬ ‫ رﺳ ۡﻮ ل اﷲ اﻟ ۡﻴ‬6 ۡ ‫ ۤ ا ْﺳﺮآءﻳ ۡﻞ ا‬0

ْ ۤ ٗ ْ ْ H ۡ ۡ ۡ
MN‫ ﻣﻦ ﺑﻌﺪي اﺳ ﻤﻪ اﺣ ﻤ ﺪ‬G‫ﺮا ﺑﺮﺳﻮ ٍل ﻳﺎ‬C ‫ ﺸ‬E‫ﺔ و ﻣ‬B‫اﻟﺘﻮ ٰر‬ ْ

“And when ‘Isa Ibn Maryam said: “O People of Israa’eel! I am a messenger of Allah
unto you, confirming the Tourah (that appeared) before me and (a messenger) of
glad tidings of a prophet to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.”
[Surah Saff verse 6]
Muhammad: The origin of the name Muhammad is from the root letters of
“Hamd”. The word actually refers to a person of praiseworthy attributes whose
practical virtues, indisputable achievements and outstanding character is repeatedly
glorified.
ّٰ َ
‫اﻟﻠ ُﻬ ﻢ ﺻﻞ ﺒﻟ ﺤﻣﻤﺪ وﺒﻟ ا وﺻﺤﺒﻪ و ﺑﺎرك وﺳﻠﻢ‬
Chapter 2 21
“O Allah! Shower Your blessings upon Muhammad and his family and companions
accompanied by blessings and peace.”
According to some people, Muhammad means, ‘that being in whom faultless
character and commendable attributes are found on a perfectly flawless level’.
Abu Taalib would often recite the following stanza:
َُ َٰ َۡ ْ َُ َّ ُ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ َ
‫فذو ال َع ۡر ِش م ُم ۡو ٌد َوهذا م َّم ٌد‬ ‫جل ُه‬ِ ‫وشق ل مِن ا ِس ِمه ِل‬
“Allah has extracted his (Muhammad’s) name from His own so that he may be
exalted, So the one on the throne is Mahmood whilst this is Muhammad.”
Ahmad: This means the most praiseworthy person. And indisputably, he is the
most praiseworthy in the entire creation. Nobody is more praiseworthy and
nobody will ever be.
It can also mean one who praises and glorifies Allah Ta’ala the most.
Title (Kuniyyat)
His most well known title was Abul-Qaasim, designated after his eldest son
Qaasim.
His second title was Abu Ibraaheem. Hadhrat Anas  relates that when
Ibraaheem  was born to Maariyah Qibtiyyah , Hadhrat Jibraa’eel
 appeared before Rasulullah  addressing him thus: “O Abu
Ibraaheem! O Abu Ibraaheem!”
Upbringing and Suckling

For about three or four days after he was born, Rasulullah  was breastfed
by his mother. Thereafter his uncle Abu Lahab’s slave woman Suwaybah 
suckled him.
When Suwaybah  gave glad tidings of Rasulullah’s  birth to
his uncle Abu Lahab, out of sheer joy, he set her free. Prior to Rasulullah
, Suwaybah  also suckled his uncle Hadhrat Hamzah . In this
manner, apart from being his uncle (father’s brother), Hadhrat Hamzah  is
also Rasulullah’s  milk brother. After him Suwaybah  also
breastfed Hadhrat Abu Salmah .
Umme Habibah  relates: “I once asked Rasulullah : ‘I heard
that you wish to send a marriage proposal to Abu Salmah’s daughter, Durrah.’ In
utter surprise, he said: ‘Umme Salmah’s daughter, Durrah, who is in my
guardianship, even if she was not my Rabibah (foster daughter), then too she
wouldn’t be Halaal for me because she is my milk niece. Her father, Abu Salmah
 and I were breastfed by the same woman, Suwaybah .’”
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that Rasulullah  was requested to marry
Hadhrat Hamzah’s daughter. However, he declined saying: “She is my milk niece.”
Rasulullah  was exceptionally respectful towards Suwaybah .
After his marriage to Hadhrat Khadijah , Suwaybah  would frequently
visit Rasulullah . Even after his Hijrah to Madinah Munawwarah,
Rasulullah  would send gifts to her in Makkah. Upon the conquest of
Makkah, Rasulullah  made enquiries as to the whereabouts of Suwaybah
 and her son Masrooh. When informed that both of them had passed on, he
made further enquiries to locate any of her living relatives so that he may bestow
them with his kindness. However, he was informed that none of her relatives or
kinsfolk were alive.
After his death, someone saw Abu Lahab in a dream in an awfully dreadful
condition. He asked him how he was faring. Abu Lahab replied: “After I had left
you, I haven’t been comfortable in the least. However, because I freed Suwaybah
, I am provided with a fingertip of water.” In other words, in hell, he is
provided with water equivalent to the finger he used in indicating to her that she is
free.
After Suwaybah , Rasulullah  was breastfed by Halimah
S‘adiyyah . It was customary of the noble Arabs of those days to send their
suckling infants out to the rural villages to grow up healthy and strong in the
uncontaminated air of the countryside. The aim was also to expose the child to the
eloquence and purity of the Arabic language and to pick up authentic Arab culture
and unique Arab traditions.
Hadhrat ‘Umar  says:
‫تمعددوا و تمعزروا واخشو شنوا‬

“Adopt the appearance of M‘adan bin ‘Adnaan. (In other words, do not adopt the
clothing and appearance of the non-Arabs.) Exercise patience upon all adversities,
and wear coarse clothing. (In other words, adopt simplicity and do not fall into
luxurious comforts.)”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  once remarked to Rasulullah  that he is a man
of eloquence and purity in language. Rasulullah  admitted: “I am after all
firstly from the Quraysh tribe. Moreover, I was suckled amongst the Banu S‘ad
tribe.”
According to this established custom of the Arabs, the women of Banu S‘ad
would make an annual journey to Makkah in search of suckling infants. Halimah
 recalls: “A few women from the Banu S‘ad and I set out for Makkah in
Chapter 2 23
search of suckling infants. Accompanying me on this journey was my husband and

my infant son who was still breastfeeding. As our conveyance, we had an
extremely thin donkey and a camel that wouldn’t provide a single drop of milk. We
were unable to fall asleep all night due to acute hunger. To add to our distress, the
child, also suffering from pangs of hunger, cried in anguish all night long. I didn’t
even have sufficient breast milk to satiate the child.
Every single one of us women was offered to take Rasulullah  with
her but the moment she discovered that the infant is an orphan she would bluntly
refuse. After all, what remuneration can one expect from a child who does not have
a father? But who knew that this child is not a Yateem (orphan) but he is a Durre-
Yateem (a rare pearl). Who knew that the keys to the treasures of Chosroes and
Caesar would be awarded to this child? Who knew that although the child has no
apparent guardian and mentor who will award a meaningful remuneration but
Allah Ta’ala in whose hands lies the incalculable treasures of the earth and skies is
the guardian of this child. He would bestow upon those who nurture and nurse this
child far more than the remuneration they had ever imagined possible.”
All the women obtained at least one infant to return home with. Only Halimah
 was left empty-handed. As the hour of departure drew closer, Halimah
 found it somewhat punishing to return home empty-handed. All of a
sudden, an impulsive but passionate urge to go and pick this poor orphan up
divinely developed within her anxious heart. She leaped to her feet saying to her
husband:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ ان‬4‫ عليك عس ا‬O ‫ذهب ا¯ ذلك التيم فلخذنه قال‬O 4‫وا‬
‫يعل لا فيه بركة‬
“By Allah! I will go to this orphan and I will by all odds take him with me.”
Her husband responded: “This wouldn’t be a problem. Who knows, perhaps Allah
Ta’ala may bless us with Barakah because of him.”
Barakah actually refers to goodness provided by Allah Ta’ala. In other words,
Barakah refers to divine goodness that appears directly from Allah Ta’ala without
any apparent exterior cause.
It appears in a Hadith-e-Qudsi that Allah Ta’ala says:
‫أنا عند ظن عبدي ب‬
“I will deal with my servant in the manner he expects Me to deal with him.”
In fervent anticipation of this Barakah, Halimah  went to fetch Rasulullah
. In conformity to this expectation, Allah Ta’ala threw open the doors of
Barakah for Halimah  and her family. The other women of Banu S‘ad pinned
their hopes on the creation whilst Halimah  pinned her hopes on Allah
Ta’ala alone. Halimah  recounts: “I just grasped this blessed child to my

dried-out bosom when they started filling up with milk. I produced so much of
milk that both he and his milk-brother were able to drink to their fill. As we
chanced to milk the scraggy camel, we saw its udders full of milk. My husband and
I both satiated ourselves with its milk. We passed the night in splendid comfort.”
The next morning, her husband commented:
ّٰ
‫ يا حليمة لقد اخذت نسمة مباركة‬4‫تعلم وا‬
“Remember, O Halimah! By Allah! You have taken an exceptionally blessed child.”
To this she replied:
ّٰ
‫ رجو ذلك‬O ‫ ان‬4‫وا‬
“By Allah! With all true faith, I anticipate nothing but Barakah from Allah Ta’ala.”
Now it was time to depart. All the travellers of the caravan mounted their
conveyances and set out. Halimah  also mounted her camel with this blessed
infant grasped to her bosom. Her thin camel, which previously would be repeatedly
whipped to spur it forward, was now darting ahead in speed without a moments
pause. It was, at that moment in time, the conveyance of the blessed Nabi of Allah
Ta’ala. The other women of the caravan remarked: “Halimah! Is this the same
camel you came with? By Allah! It now has a wholly different behaviour.” In these
circumstances we arrived in Banu S‘ad.
At that time, no other region was affected by drought as severely as Banu S‘ad.
However, my goats would return home in the evening with udders swollen with
milk whilst the other goats would return hungry without a drop of milk in their
udders. On witnessing this, the people urged their shepherds to graze their goats
where Halimah’s goats grazed. They complied with this request but all the same,
their goats returned empty whilst Halimahs goats returned at the end of the day
with their udders bursting with milk. Halimah  says: “Allah Ta’ala continued
exhibiting His Khair and Barakat (divine blessings and heavenly favours) in this
manner whilst we continued witnessing this Khair and Barakat before our eyes. It
continued like this until I weaned him at the end of two years.”
At the end of two years, Halimah  returned to Makkah to hand over this
trust back to his mother, Aaminah. However, due to the profuse divine blessings
she had observed due to the presence of Rasulullah  in her home,
Halimah  requested Hadhrat Aaminah to allow this orphan to stay on a few
more days with her. On the one hand, an outbreak of plague in Makkah in those
days and on the other hand, Halimah’s  persistent entreaties made the
mother give in and she permitted the child to be taken away for a few more days.
Halimah  then returned home with this blessed infant. After a few months,
Chapter 2 25
he also started accompanying his milk-brothers to the grasslands to graze the

family goats.
The Splitting of the Chest

Once Rasulullah  was out grazing goats with his milk-brothers when one
of his milk-brothers came dashing home. Shocked into terror, he told his parents:
“Two white-clothed men laid our Qurayshi brother onto the ground and slit open
his chest. Now they are busy stitching him up.” On hearing this, Halimah 
and her husband were left perplexed. In a state of total shock, both of them darted
across to the grazing field where they saw the young boy standing on one side and
his face looking pale. Halimah  says, “I clutched him to my bosom to comfort
him and his foster-father also held him onto his chest and asked him what
happened. He then gave an account of what transpired.” Halimah  then
returned home with him.
The splitting open of his chest occurred four times in Rasulullah’s 
life:
The first time was when he was merely a boy of four in the care of Halimah
S‘adiyyah . He was on the grazing-field when two angels, Jibraa’eel 
and Mikaa’eel , appeared as men in white garments bearing a golden tray
laden with ice. They cut open his chest and removed his heart. They then split open
his heart and fished out a few pieces of congealed blood and said: “This is
shaytaan’s portion.” They then washed his heart with ice water in the tray and
returned it to its original location after which they stitched him up.
This event of the splitting of the chest left Halimah  exceptionally
alarmed. She was anxious over Rasulullah’s  well being. For fear of him
coming to any harm, she returned to Makkah and described to his mother what
transpired. Upon hearing what happened to the child, Hadhrat Aaminah was in no
way left panic-stricken. She then recalled the divine Barakaat (blessings), Noor and
good she experienced during pregnancy right up to birth. She then affirmed: “This
son of mine is destined to be a great person. Shaytaan will be unable to approach
him. Calm down. There’s nothing to worry about. Nothing will harm him.”
Halimah  then returned home and Rasulullah  started living
with his mother once again. When Rasulullah  was six, his mother
decided to journey to Madinah. She took him along with her. Umme Ayman 
also accompanied them on this trip. She stayed at her ancestral home for a month
and on her return to Makkah, she passed away at a place called Abwaa and she was
buried there as well.
َ
‫ج ُع ۡون‬ ٰ ِ‫ِ َو ا ِنَّا ا َ ِۡله‬4ّٰ ِ ‫ا ِنَّا‬
‫ر‬
ِ
In the Guardianship of ‘Abdul Muttalib

Umme Ayman  returned to Makkah with Rasulullah  and
consigned him to the care of ‘Abdul Muttalib. ‘Abdul Muttalib always kept
Rasulullah  with him. Whenever ‘Abdul Muttalib appeared in Masjidul-
Haraam, a special mat would be placed in the shadow of the Baitullah for his
exclusive use. Not a soul would dare to even place a foot on this mat. Even ‘Abdul
Muttalib’s own children would sit on the fringes of this mat but Rasulullah
 would seat himself comfortably right on the centre of the mat. His
uncles would try to steer him away from this seat but ‘Abdul Muttalib, with
unreserved affection would say: “Leave this son of mine alone. By Allah! This child
is destined to an altogether unprecedented rank of eminence.” He would then call
him to sit nearby. Whenever ‘Abdul Muttalib laid eyes upon Rasulullah ,
he was unable to contain his utter joy.
The father of Kindir bin Sa‘eed says: “During the era of ignorance, before the
advent of Islam, I once came to Makkah to perform Hajj. I saw a person busy
making Tawaaf of the K‘abah whilst uttering the following couplet:
َُ َّ َّ ۡ ۡ ‫رب ُر َّده َو‬
‫ُرد ا ِ¯ َراكب م َّم ًدا‬ ‫اص َطن ِۡع عِندِي يَ ًدا‬ ّ ‫يا‬
“O Allah! Return Muhammad, my conveyance to me, O Lord! Return him to me and
do me a great favour.”
I asked the people who this is and they replied that this is ‘Abdul-Muttalib. He had
just sent his grandson in search of some lost camels. Whenever he sends his
grandson on an errand, the child returns successful. On this latest errand, the
young boy was taking longer than usual. This is why ‘Abdul Muttalib, frantically
restless was repeatedly reciting the above poem. A little while later, Rasulullah
 returned with the lost camels. The moment ‘Abdul-Muttalib caught
sight of him, he embraced him saying: “Son! I was dreadfully worried over your
well-being. Now I will never allow you to part from me.”
Death of ‘Abdul Muttalib

Rasulullah  lived in the loving guardianship of ‘Abdul Muttalib for a
period of two years. When he turned eight, ‘Abdul Muttalib also bid this world
farewell. Depending on the differences of opinion, he passed away at the age of
either eighty-two, eighty-five, ninety-five, one hundred and ten or one hundred
and twenty. He was buried in Hajun.
Since Abu Taalib was ‘Abdullah’s blood brother, ‘Abdul Muttalib consigned
Rasulullah  to the charge of Abu Taalib and he made a bequest urging
him to bring him up with great affection and care and with the greatest of love.
Chapter 2 27
Umme Ayman  says: “When ‘Abdul Muttalib’s funeral bier was being
carried along, I saw Rasulullah  trudging along behind his bier bitterly
weeping in lamentation over his loss.”
Once Rasulullah  was asked whether he could recall the death of
‘Abdul Muttalib. Rasulullah  replied: “I was eight at that time.”
In the Guardianship of Abu Taalib

Following the death of ‘Abdul-Muttalib, Rasulullah  was taken into the
custody of his uncle Abu Taalib. Rasulullah  was more beloved to him
than his own children. He cared for him more affectionately than he cared for his
own sons. Right up to his death, Abu Taalib reared him with such love and
affection that as a matter of fact he wholly fulfilled the right of guardianship. Alas!
In spite of this devoted guardianship and loving care of Rasulullah , he
was deprived of the wealth of Islam.
Following a severe drought in Makkah on one occasion, the people pleaded
with Abu Taalib to make dua for rain. Accompanied by a substantial number of
people, Abu Taalib together with Rasulullah  set out for the Masjidul-
Haraam. Abu Taalib then positioned Rasulullah’s  back against the
K‘abah. He then pointed his index finger to the sky. There was not a smidgen of
cloud in the sky but the moment he pointed to the sky, clouds suddenly appeared
all over the place. Within a few moments it started pouring so much so that the
rivers and streams started gushing with water. It was in this context that Abu
Taalib commented:
َ ‫ث َِم ُال التام ع ِۡص َم ٌة ل‬
‫رامِل‬Kِ ِ‫الغمام ب ِ َو ۡج ِهه‬
ُ ٰ َ ُ َ
‫َوا ۡب َيض ي ُ ۡست ۡسق‬
“He (Rasulullah ) is a person whose illuminated face is exploited to draw
rain from Allah Ta’ala, he is a sanctuary for the orphans and a refuge for the
widows.”
The First Journey to Syria and his encounter with the Monk
Bahira
When Rasulullah  turned twelve, his uncle Abu Taalib decided to travel
to Syria with a trade caravan of the Quraysh. Owing to the difficult and long
journey, Abu Taalib did not want to take him along but at the actual moment of
departure, noticing signs of heartbreaking gloom and sorrow on his face, he finally
relented and took him along.
En route to Syria, they halted at a city called Busra where a Christian monk by
the name of Jarjis, popularly known as Bahirah the monk, lived. He was well
acquainted with the signs of the final Prophet as mentioned in the divine books.
The moment this trade caravan halted before Bahirah’s monastery and his gaze fell
on Rasulullah , he at once recognised him as the Prophet referred to in
the previous books. Bahirah then grasped Rasulullah’s  hand in his own.
Abu Musa Ash’ari  narrates that once Abu Taalib travelled with some
high-ranking elders of Quraysh to Syria. A Christian priest was living in the
vicinity of the area where they had halted over for the night. They passed this
priest on numerous occasions in the past but he never cast a glance in their
direction. This time though, when the trade caravan broke their journey, the monk
unexpectedly emerged from his quarters, came to the caravan and started to
scrutinise each one of the travellers until he came to Rasulullah . The
moment he laid eyes on Rasulullah , he grasped him by the hand and
exclaimed:
ّٰ
ٰ ‫ رحة‬4‫ا‬ ّ ‫هذا‬
‫للعلمي‬ ‫سيد العالمي هذا رسول رب العالمي يبعثه‬
“This is the leader of the worlds. This is the messenger of the worlds. Allah Ta’ala
will commission him as the embodiment of mercy for the people of the world.”
The elders of the Quraysh, quite dazed at this, asked: “How do you know this?
What prompts you to make such a claim?” The monk replied: “When you emerged
from the valley of the mountain, every single boulder and tree stooped down in
prostration. And trees and boulders don’t bow down to anybody but a Prophet.
Furthermore, I recognise him from his seal of prophethood that is similar to an
apple and appears just below his shoulder blade."
Saying this, the monk departed. Because of Rasulullah , he prepared
a meal for the whole caravan of travellers. When all of them turned up to eat,
Rasulullah  was conspicuously absent. When he enquired, the monk
established that Rasulullah  was out herding the camels. He sent for him.
When Rasulullah  appeared, a cloud was sheltering him from the fierce
rays of the sun. As he approached his people, he noticed that they had already
taken whatever available shade there was under a tree. Since there was no shade
available, Rasulullah  sat down on one side. The moment he sat down,
the tree stooped in his direction to offer him some shade. The monk remarked:
“Look at this tree, how it is bending towards him.” The monk then got on his feet
committing the travellers by force of oath not to take the young boy with them to
Rome. If they catch sight of him, the monk explained, they would identify him
from his attributes and features and they would surely put him to death. Whilst
pleading with them, the monk suddenly noticed a group of seven Romans coming
his way diligently searching for something. The priest asked them what they were
searching for. They replied: “We are hunting for that messenger (whose glad
tidings have been cited in the Towrah and Injeel and whom we have learnt will be
Chapter 2 29
travelling some time this month). We have despatched men in all directions and
launched an extensive search for him.” The priest responded: “Okay, tell me, if the
Almighty has already decreed something, is anyone able to prevent it happening?”
They replied in the negative. The seven Romans thereafter pledged before Bahirah
that they would refrain from hounding him. Furthermore, they eventually resolved
to settle down with Bahirah because the very reason they set out for unexpectedly
underwent a rapid transformation. They reckoned it to be unbecoming to return
home. Hence, the decision to settle down with Bahirah.
Swearing an oath to the travellers, the monk then enquired who his guardian
was. They pointed towards Abu Taalib. The monk pleaded with Abu Taalib to send
him back to Makkah. Abu Taalib sent him back to Makkah with Abu Bakr and
Bilal. The monk also provided some bread and olive oil as provisions for the return
journey.
According to the narration of Baihaqi, Bahirah rose to inspect Rasulullah’s
 blessed back where he noticed the seal of prophethood between his
shoulder blades. He discovered it to be exactly like how he had expected it to be.
Participation in Hilful-Fudool
For many years the Arabs were struggling with a succession of relentless battles
but for how long could they allow this to continue? Following the truce agreed
upon after Harbul-Fujjaar, some people decided that just as bloodshed and carnage
in the past was brought to an end by a pact devised by Fadl bin Fudaalah, Fadl bin
Wada‘ah and Fudail bin Haaris thereby lending their names to this pact popularly
known as Hilful-Fudool, in the same way, today there is an urgent need once again
to revive this pact.
In some of his poems, Zubair bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib revisits this pact:
َ َّ َ َ َ َُ َ ُ ُ ۡ َّ
‫ يُق ِۡي َم ب ِ َب ۡط ِن َمكة ظال ِم‬O‫ا‬ ‫ا ِن الفض ۡول تَالف ۡوا َوت َعاق ُد ۡوا‬
“Indeed, the three Fadls (Fadl bin Fudaalah, Fadl bin Wada‘ah and Fudail bin
Haaris) all made a solemn pledge that no oppressor would be permitted to live
within the valley of Makkah.
َُ َ َ َ ََ َ
‫والمعت ف ِۡي ِه ۡم سال ِم‬
ّ ‫فالار‬ ‫ا ۡمر عل ۡيهِ ت َعاه ُد ۡوا َوت َواثق ۡوا‬
All of them also pledged that be it a neighbour or a visitor, everyone would be safe
within its environs.”
When Harbul-Fujjaar formally drew to a close, an unsteady revival of Hilful-
Fudool was launched in the sacred month of Zul-Q‘adah. The first person to initiate
a revitalisation of this pact was Zubair bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib. A conference was
convened between the Banu Haashim and Banu Taym in ‘Abdullah bin Jad‘aan’s
house. ‘Abdullah also prepared a sumptuous meal for all the delegates of this
conference. Amongst other things, the members pledged to assist the oppressed at
all costs. Whether the oppressed was a local inhabitant or a foreign visitor, they
undertook to assist him to the best of their ability.
Rasulullah  says: “During the launch of this pledge, I was also
present at ‘Abdullah bin Jad‘aan’s house. Even if I were offered red camels in
exchange of this pledge, I would never accept. Now, in Islam, if I were invited to a
pledge of this nature, I would definitely accept this invitation.”
‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan was a cousin of Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah , (her father’s
brother’s son). Once Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  asked: “O Prophet of Allah!
‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan was an extraordinarily hospitable man. He was incredibly
fond of feeding the people. Will this benefit him in any way on the day of
Qiyaamah?” Rasulullah  replied: “No! This is because he fell short of
saying the following dua:
‫ليۡ ِن‬ ۡ ‫ب اغف ِۡر ِ ۡل َخ ِط ۡي َئ‬

ِ ّ ‫ت يَ ۡو َم ا‬ ّ َ
ِ ‫ر‬
ِ
“O my sustainer! Pardon my sins on the day of reckoning.”
In other words, he did not seek forgiveness for his sins nor beg for Allah Ta’ala’s
pardon at any time in his life.
Rasulullah  said: “Whilst walking during the hot summers, I would
sometimes take shelter in the shade provided by the trough (or cooking pot) of
‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan.”
In other words, the trough (or cooking pot) of ‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan was so
gigantic that a person could stand in its shade. It was as though this trough or pot
was a specimen of “basins as large as reservoirs”.
Occupation of Trade and the Title of Al-Ameen

The people (of Makkah) maintained that Rasulullah  grew up as the most
dignified, the most polite, the most supportive to his neighbours, the most
forbearing, the most truthful and honest and the most remote from fighting,
arguing, evil and immorality. This is why, as a young man, his people honoured
him with the title of Al-Ameen (the truthful).
‘Abdullah bin Abi Hamsaa  says: “Before prophethood, I once engaged
in a trade transaction with Rasulullah . I actually owed him some money.
I promised him that I would return with it shortly but as fate would have it, I
completely forgot about my promise. Only three days later I recalled my promise to
return with the money. The moment I remembered this promise, I rushed out to the
previous meeting place and found him waiting there patiently. All he said was,
Chapter 2 31
‘You put me into difficulty. I have been waiting here for you for the last three
days.’”
‘Abdullah bin Saaib  says: “In the era of ignorance (pre-Islamic era), I
was Rasulullah’s  business partner. When I came to Madinah, he asked:
“Do you recognise me?” “Surely!” I replied, “Why not? You were my business
partner and what a pleasant partner you were. You would never dillydally nor
would you squabble over anything.”
Qays bin Saaib Makhzumi  says: “I was Rasulullah’s  business
partner in the times of ignorance. He was the most favourable of partners. He
would neither quarrel nor raise a dispute.”
Grazing Goats
Just as Rasulullah  grazed goats in his childhood with his foster brothers
whilst in the custody of Hadhrat Halimah , similarly, he grazed goats as he
grew older. Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah  narrates: “We were with Rasulullah
 in a place called Zahraan. When we started plucking some fruit off a
peelu tree, Rasulullah  advised us to pick the black ones, as they were
more succulent and tastier. We then asked him if he had ever grazed goats in his
life (because how would he have known this.) Rasulullah  replied: “There
is not a single messenger who did not graze goats.”
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah  reports that Rasulullah  said: “There
was not a single prophet who did not graze goats.” The Sahaabah  asked in
amazement: “Even you? O Prophet of Allah!” Rasulullah  replied: “Yes, I
used to also graze the goats of the people of Makkah for a few Qaraarit (plural of
Qeeraat, a coin weighing approximately 0.2 grams of silver).”
Second Journey to Syria and the Encounter with Nastoora, the

Monk
Hadhrat Khadijah  was an exceedingly wealthy woman of one of the most
noble clans of the Arabs. Due to her noble lineage and her chastity, she was titled
as Taahirah (pure) during the times of ignorance as well as the era of Islam.
When the Quraysh despatched their trade caravans, Hadhrat Khadijah 
would also despatch her trade goods with some reliable people as a form of
Mudaarabah (business partnership). Her goods were equal to all the goods of the
Quraysh put together. When Rasulullah  turned twenty-five and his
trustworthiness became the talk of the town and when not a single person of
Makkah failed to refer to him with the title of Al-Ameen, Hadhrat Khadijah 
sent him a message requesting him to take her goods to Syria with an offer to
double his share of the profits in relation to her other normal business partners.
Due to the financial constraints of his uncle Abu Taalib, Rasulullah 
gladly accepted the offer and in the company of Hadhrat Khadijah’s slave,
Maysarah, he set off for Syria.
When Rasulullah  reached Busra, he took a seat under the shade of a
tree. A monk by the name of Nastoora lived in the vicinity of this tree. On seeing
Rasulullah  beneath this tree, he approached him and said: “From ‘Isa bin
Maryam  right up to this present moment, besides you no other prophet has
sat beneath this tree.” He then remarked to Maysarah: “He (Rasulullah )
has this redness in his eyes.” Maysarah responded by revealing: “Yes, this redness
has never left his eyes.”
The monk exclaimed:
ٰ
‫نبياء‬O‫هو هو وهو نب وهو اخر ا‬
“Yes, surely this is the Prophet. This is the final Messenger.”
Rasulullah  thereafter continued engaging in his trading activities.
During this time, a person once started arguing with Rasulullah . The
man demanded that Rasulullah  swear an oath on the idols of Laat and
‘Uzza. Rasulullah  very calmly replied: “I have never taken an oath on
Laat and ‘Uzza. In fact, even if I perchance come across these idols, I try to avoid
them altogether.” The man replied: “Indisputably, you are right.” In other words,
you are truthful and trustworthy. The man then commented: “By Allah! This is a
man whose description and attributes our ‘Ulama find inscribed in their religious
manuscripts.”
Maysarah says: “In the severe heat of the afternoon, I would notice two angels
offering shade to Rasulullah .”
As he was returning from Syria whilst the two angels were shading him from
the fierce midday sun, Hadhrat Khadijah  witnessed this extraordinary scene
as she was sitting in one of the upper floors of her house. She summoned the
women around her to come and view this incredible spectacle as well. This took all
of them by surprise. Soon after, Maysarah gave her a detailed account of the
strange phenomena and particulars of the journey. He then made over her goods
and money to her. Due to the barakah (blessings) of Rasulullah  this time
round, Hadhrat Khadijah  realised such a huge profit from this trade caravan
that she had never before made from a single trade caravan. Hadhrat Khadijah
 awarded Rasulullah  much more than the initial profit she had
originally promised him.
Chapter 2 33
Marriage to Hadhrat Khadijah 
Hadhrat Khadijah , after listening to Maysarah’s account of his travels

including Nastoora the monk’s statement and the spectacle of the angels providing
shade etc., went to Waraqah bin Nawfal and conveyed the details of these
miraculous events to him. Waraqah remarked: “Khadijah! If these incidents are
true, then most certainly Muhammad is the prophet of this Ummah. I am well
aware that this Ummah is patiently waiting to be graced by a prophet whose
advent is imminent.”
On hearing about these miraculous events, Hadhrat Khadijah 
developed a longing to be wedded to Rasulullah . As a result, two months
and twenty-five days after his arrival from the Syrian trade journey, she sent a
proposal to Rasulullah . Acting on the advice of his uncle, Rasulullah
 accepted this proposal. On the predetermined date of the Nikah, together
with his uncles Abu Taalib and Hamzah and a few other chieftains of the family,
Rasulullah  set out for Hadhrat Khadijah’s  residence. Hadhrat
Khadijah’s  father had already passed away before the battle of Fujjaar. Her
uncle ‘Amar bin Asad was present at her Nikah.
Abu Taalib recited the Khutbah of Nikah, the closing words of which were:
‫ رجح به شفا‬O‫ يوازن به فت من قريش ا‬O ‫اما بعد فان ممدا ممن‬
‫ وان كن ف المال قل فانه ظل زائل وعرية‬K‫ و عق‬K‫ وفض‬K‫ونب‬
‫مستجعة ول ف خدية بنت خويل رغبة ولها فيه مثل ذلك‬
“Muhammad is a young man who, if weighed against any other youngster from the
Quraysh, Muhammad will outweigh the other in nobility, eminence, intellect and
graciousness. He may be lacking in wealth but wealth is after all a passing shadow
and a trust to be ultimately surrendered. He is interested in getting married to
Khadijah bint Khuwailid and she also cherishes the same interest.”
At the time of this blessed Nikah, Rasulullah  was twenty-five years old
whilst Hadhrat Khadijah  was forty. The Mahr (dowry) was fixed at twenty
camels. According to Seerat Ibn Hishaam and Hafiz Abu Bishr Dawlami, the
stipulated Mahr (dowry) was twelve and half awqiyah of silver. Each awqiyah is
equivalent to forty Dirhams. Hence, the total dowry was five hundred Dirhams.
This was Rasulullah’s  first Nikah whilst it was Hadhrat Khadijah’s
 third. We will, Insha Allah Ta’ala, discuss this in more detail in the chapter
dealing with the Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat (the blessed wives of Rasulullah
).
The Renovation of the K’abah and Rasulullah’s 

Arbitration
From the very inception of this universe, the K‘abah was reconstructed five times.
Initially it was constructed by Hadhrat Aadam . ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin
‘Aas  reports that Rasulullah  said: “Allah Ta’ala delegated Hadhrat
Jibraa’eel  to command Hadhrat Aadam  to erect the K‘abah. When
he completed the building, he was instructed to walk around the house (Tawaaf).
He was also informed: “You are the first man and this is the first house erected for
the devotion of Allah Ta’ala.”
When the flood of Nuh  struck, no sign of the K‘abah was left behind.
Ibraaheem  was then commanded to reconstruct the K‘abah. There was no
trace of even the foundation left behind. Hadhrat Jibraa’eel  came and
retraced the markings of the original foundation. Subsequently, Hadhrat Ibraaheem
, with the wholehearted assistance of Hadhrat Ismaa’eel , began
reconstructing the holy K’abah.
The third occasion the K‘abah underwent reconstruction was just before
prophethood when Rasulullah  was thirty-five and the Quraysh decided
to reconstruct the K‘abah. The original structure erected by Hadhrat Ibraaheem
 was roofless whilst the walls were not actually very high. The walls were
just above the average height of a man, approximately nine hands in height. Over
the passage of time, the structure fell into disrepair. Due to it lying on low ground,
rainwater would often find its way into the structure itself. This is why the
Quraysh decided to demolish the original structure and rebuild it afresh. When all
the Qurayshi leaders unanimously agreed to demolish the K‘abah and rebuild it,
Abu Wahab bin ‘Amr Makhzoomi, Rasulullah’s  father’s mother’s
brother, addressed the Quraysh thus: “Bear in mind that whatever we propose to
spend in the reconstruction of the K‘abah should be from Halaal sources. The
income derived from adultery, theft and usury should not be applied to this sacred
mission. Only exclusively Halaal wealth should be utilised in its construction. Allah
Ta’ala is pure and He only approves of pure. In the erection of this structure,
employ your purely Halaal wealth.” With the reasoning that not a single person be
deprived of this noble assignment of reconstructing the K‘abah, the reconstruction
was divided over the various clans in such a manner that the responsibility of each
phase or element of the K‘abah was consigned to a different clan. Each and every
tribe or clan was assigned a particular task or portion in the reconstruction process.
The portion towards the door was assigned to Banu ‘Abdu Manaaf and Banu
Zuhrah. The area between the Hajr-e-Aswad and Rukn-e-Yamani was allocated to
Banu Makhzoom and other Qurayhsi clans. The rear of the structure was allocated
to Banu Jamh and Banu Sahm whilst the Hateem section was given over to Banu
‘Abdud-Daar bin Qusayy and Banu S’ad. During the course of restoration, the
Chapter 2 35
Quraysh got word of a merchant ship that was recently wrecked in the port of
Jeddah. On hearing this, Waleed bin Mughirah immediately set off for Jeddah and
managed to obtain the timber of this ruined vessel for the roof of the K‘abah.
Amongst the crewmembers of this vessel was a Roman mason (or carpenter) by the
name of Baqum. Waleed bin Mughirah also took him along to assist in the
reconstruction.
After these initial stages of groundwork, when it came to the actual moment of
demolition of the original structure, not a soul had the courage to initiate the
tearing down of the first brick. In the end, Waleed bin Mughirah, wielding a shovel,
proclaimed before Allah Ta’ala:
“O Allah! Our intentions are nothing but good.” In other words, Allah Ta’ala
forbid, we harbour absolutely no evil intention in razing the K‘abah. Saying this, he
commenced demolishing the K‘abah in the region of Hajr-e-Aswad and Rukn
Yamani. The people of Makkah decided to hold back until the forthcoming night to
ascertain if Waleed is struck by any divine punishment. If any form of divine
reprisal assails him, we will restore the house of Allah Ta’ala to what it was
otherwise we will all assist Waleed in demolishing the present structure. The next
morning found Waleed hail and hearty wielding a shovel into the Haram area.
People interpreted his safety as an indication of Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure thereby
boosting their courage even further. All of them then earnestly embarked on this
task of demolishing the K‘abah. They continued digging right down until the
original foundation laid by Hadhrat Ibraaheem  became visible. When a
Qurayshi delivered a blow to the Ibraaheemi foundation, a terrible explosion
rocked the city of Makkah. At once, they discontinued digging further and started
their construction on the same original foundation. As per the preceding division,
each tribe amassed their respective stones and started to rebuild their allotted
portion of the K‘abah. Now when the building reached completion and the crucial
moment of placing the Hajr-e-Aswad (black stone) surfaced, intensely violent
disputes broke out between all interested parties. Swords were unsheathed and the
people became fervently determined to go to war and kill one another to acquire
this noble credit of raising the stone to its place. After a few days of severe tension
and no lasting solution in sight, Abu Umayyah bin Mughirah Makhzoomi, one of
the eldest members of the Quraysh, submitted the opinion that the decision to raise
the stone should be conferred upon the first person that enters the doors of the
Haram the next morning. All parties expressed their approval to this proposal. The
next morning, when they reached the Haram, they saw none other than
Muhammad Rasulullah  as the first entrant of the Haram that morning.
The moment they caught sight of him, with one voice they spontaneously
proclaimed:
‫مي‬O‫مي رضينا هذا ممد ا‬O‫هذا ممد ا‬

“This is Muhammad, the trustworthy. We are extremely pleased with him as

arbiter. This is after all Muhammad, the trustworthy.”
Rasulullah  asked for a sheet and placing the black stone onto it, he
directed: “The chief of each tribe should grasp the ends of the sheet so that none of
the tribes are deprived of this grand opportunity." All of them wholeheartedly
approved of this proposal and each leader grasped a side of the sheet and hoisted it
to the vicinity the black stone was to be placed. Rasulullah  then went
forward and with his blessed hands raised the stone and placed it in its proper
place.
The fourth time the K‘abah was reconstructed was during the Caliphate of
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Zubair . The entire structure was raised to the ground
and reconstructed anew.
The Ka’bah was reconstructed a fifth time by that Hajjaaj bin Yusuf whose
oppression and transgression was unmatched in history. For further details,
research the books of history.
His Divine Aversion to Pagan Customs

It is reported from Hadhrat Ali  that Rasulullah  was once asked if
he ever worshiped an idol. He replied in the negative. He was then asked if he ever
consumed wine. Rasulullah  again replied in the negative and remarked:
“I always considered such deeds to be Kufr even though I possessed no knowledge
of Imaan and the Qur-aan at that stage.”
Hadhrat ‘Urwah bin Zubair  relates that the neighbour of Hadhrat
Khadijah  narrates that she heard Rasulullah  declaring to Hadhrat
Khadijah : “By Allah! I will never ever worship Laat. By Allah! I will never
ever worship ‘Uzza.”
Zaid bin Haarisah  narrates: “During the era of ignorance, the
disbelievers would respectfully stroke the stone idols of Isaaf and Naa’ilah
whenever they performed Tawaaf of the K‘abah. Once I accompanied Rasulullah
 in performing the Tawaaf of the Baitullah. As we passed these idols, I
devotedly lay a hand on them. Rasulullah  forbade me from doing this. I
thought to myself, what harm can there be in touching stone. So I stroked them
again. A bit more sternly, he prohibited me again reminding me of the previous
prohibition. By Allah! From that day on, I have never touched a single stone idol
right up to the time when Allah Ta’ala bestowed his prophethood upon Rasulullah
 and revealed His divine speech upon him.”
It is reported from Hadhrat Ali  that he heard Rasulullah 
saying: “The notion of participating in any of these pagan rituals or customs had
never crossed my mind except on two occasions when Allah Ta’ala safeguarded me
Chapter 2 37
from their evils. One night, I told my companion who usually grazed goats with us
to keep an eye on the animals as I wished to go to Makkah to amuse myself with a
bit of story-telling. As I entered Makkah, I was confronted with the sound of music.
Upon enquiry I learnt that so and so is getting married. I also joined the ceremony
but the moment I sat down, I was overcome with sleep. Moreover, Allah Ta’ala
sealed my ears against the music and I dozed off utterly unaware of my
surroundings. By Allah! Only the intensity of the sun beating down on my face the
next morning jolted me awake. I returned to my companion only to be asked what
I saw. I replied that I saw absolutely nothing. I then related my incident of falling
off to sleep.”
The next night, Rasulullah  again decided to join in the festivities
but he fell asleep yet again. Rasulullah  says: “By Allah! After this
occasion I never thought of indulging in any form of such Jaahiliyyah customs
until Allah Ta’ala bestowed upon me His divine gift of prophethood.” Bukhaari and
Muslim narrate on the authority of Hadhrat Jaabir  that during the
reconstruction of the K‘abah, Rasulullah  also joined the people in
hauling boulders to the site. His uncle Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  advised him: “Son!
Undo your lower garment and throw it over your shoulder so that you may be safe
from the constant chafing caused by the boulders.” On the advice of his uncle, he
was about to undo his lower garment when he suddenly fell unconscious.
According to Abu Tufail, a mysterious voice cautioned Rasulullah 
thus: “O Muhammad! Safeguard your private part.” This was the first time
Rasulullah  heard this mysterious voice.
According to the narration of Ibn ‘Abbaas , Abu Taalib asked Rasulullah
 what transpired. He replied: “A white-clothed person appeared before
me and cautioned me to conceal my private parts.”
On one occasion, the Quraysh placed some food before Rasulullah .
Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufail was also present in this gathering. Rasulullah 
refused to partake of this meal. Subsequently, Zaid also declined to eat this food
saying: “I refuse to consume an animal slaughtered on the name of anyone other
than Allah Ta’ala. I will not partake of food dedicated to a deity. I will only
consume food upon which the name of Allah Ta’ala is taken exclusively.” Zaid bin
‘Amr bin Nufail would often reproach the Quraysh thus: “Allah Ta’ala created the
goat and Allah Ta’ala Himself produced the grass for it to graze on. Then why do
you slaughter the goat upon the name of someone other than Allah Ta’ala?”
Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufail was the cousin (father’s brother’s son) of Hadhrat
‘Umar . He was the father of Sa’eed bin Zaid, one of the ‘Asharah
Mubasharah (the ten companions conferred with glad tidings of Jannah). He was
utterly revolted by idolatry and was in perpetual pursuit of the true religion. He
passed away five years prior to prophethood whilst the K‘abah was undergoing
reconstruction.
Now I wish to return to the original topic. Bukhaari and Muslim narrate that
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  said:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم من الوح الرؤيا‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫اول ما بدئ به رسول ا‬
‫جاءت مثل فلق الصبح‬O‫ يرى رؤيا ا‬O ‫الصالة ف الوم فكن‬
“Divine revelation upon Rasulullah  originated with pious dreams.
Whatever he witnessed in his dreams, it would come to pass as true as the crack of
dawn.”
Ibn Abu Jamarah says: “The dreams of Rasulullah  are compared to dawn
because the sun of prophethood had not as yet risen. Just as the crack of dawn
signifies the imminent advent of the sun, similarly, pious dreams were an
introduction to the imminent advent of the sun of prophethood.” It was as though
the ‘dawn’ of pious dreams is proclaiming: “Soon, the sun of prophethood will rise.”
Just as the radiance of the morning continues spreading in a flash, similarly, the
light of these true dreams continued to flourish until such time that the luminance
of prophethood extended to light up the mountains of Makkah. People like Abu
Bakr  who possessed the spiritual vision of the heart appeared before this sun
and benefited from its brilliance whilst people like Abu Jahal who were enveloped
in spiritual darkness, closed their eyes to this radiance and like bats they were
,
unable to endure the radiance of this brilliant sun of prophethood.
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“If the bat is unable to see during the day, what is the fault of daylight? The face of
the sun is naturally radiant, ill-fated is the bat.”
As for the remainder of the people between the ranks of Abu Bakr  and Abu
Jahal, each and every person benefited from this sun of prophethood according to
the level of his spiritual vision and luminance of his heart.
Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  further relates:
‫ﺛﻢ ﺣﺒﺐ اﻪ اﺨﻟﻼ و"ن ﺨﻳﻠﻮ ﺑﻐﺎر ﺣﺮاء‬

“Thereafter, solitude was made dear to him. He would often go into seclusion in the
cave of Hira.”
Chapter 2 39
When Allah Ta’ala intends to shower His special mercy upon a person, He
cultivates the yearning for solitude and seclusion within this person’s heart. Allah
Ta’ala discloses in the story of the people of the Kahf (cave):
ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ ۡﺸ ْﺮ ﻟﻜ ْﻢ رﺑ‬U‫اﻋﺘﺰﻟْﺘﻤ ۡﻮﻫ ْﻢ وﻣﺎ ﻳ ْﻌﺒﺪ ۡون ا ﻻ اﷲ ﻓﺎ ۡ ٗ ۤوا ا اﻟْﻜ ۡﻬﻒ ﻳ‬

ْ ‫ﺣﻤﺘ ٖﻪ وﻳﻬﻴ‬
‫ﺊ‬
ْ
‫ﻜﻢ ﻣﻦ ر‬

‫و اذ‬

ً ۡ ْ ْ ۡ
﴾۱۶﴿ ‫ﻢ ﻣ ْﺮﻓﻘﺎ‬X ‫ﻜﻢ ﻣﻦ اﻣﺮ‬ ‫ﻟ‬
“And when you withdraw from them and from whatever else they worhisp besides
Allah, then seek refuge in the cave so that your Lord may broaden for you His
mercy and He may make your affairs easy for you.” [Surah Kahf verse 16]
This does not necessarily entail that solitude begets prophethood because
prophethood is not something that can be earned. Allah Ta’ala appoints as
messenger whomsoever He wishes.
Chapter 3
The Sunrise of Prophethood on Mount Faran
When Rasulullah  reached forty, as per his earlier routine he was in the
cave of Hira, when suddenly an angel appeared in the cave. He entered, greeted
him with Salaam and said: “Read!” Rasulullah  replied: “I am unable to
read.” Rasulullah  recounts: “Upon this the angel embraced me so
forcefully that there was no limit to my suffering. He then released me saying,
“Read!’ Yet again, I responded:
‫ما انا بقارئ‬

“I am unable to read.”
Continuing further, Rasulullah  relates: “The angel likewise forcefully
embraced me a second and then a third time, released me and bade me to recite the
following verses:
ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
ْ ‫اﻻ` ۡﺴﺎن ﻣ‬ ۡ ْ ‫اﻗْﺮاۡ ﺑ‬
‫ا\ي ﻋ ﻠﻢ‬ ﴾ۙ ۳﴿ ‫ﻚ اﻻﻛﺮم‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ر‬
‫و‬ ‫ا‬‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ‫ا‬ ﴾ۚ ۲﴿ ‫ﻖ‬ٍ ‫ﻠ‬
‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻖ‬‫ﻠ‬

‫ﺧ‬ ﴾ۚ ۱﴿ ‫ﻖ‬‫ﻠ‬

‫ﺧ‬ ‫ي‬ \‫ا‬ ‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﺑ‬
‫ر‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺎﺳ‬

ْ ۡ ْ ْ
ْ ْ
﴾ؕ ۵﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻋ ﻠﻢ اﻻ`ﺴﺎن ﻣﺎ ﻟﻢ ﻳﻌ ﻠﻢ‬۴﴿ ‫ﺑﺎﻟ ﻘ ﻠﻢ‬

“Read (with the aid) of the name of your Rabb Who has created (the entire
universe). He has created (above all) man from a clot of blood. Read! And your Rabb
is the most gracious Who has taught (knowledge) by the use of the pen. He has
taught man that which he did not know.” [Surah ‘Alaq verse 1]
Thereafter, Rasulullah  returned home trembling in anxiety. The moment
he entered, he requested Hadhrat Khadijah  to wrap him up. When his
anxiety and agitation subsided, he related the whole incident to Hadhrat Khadijah
 saying: “I was terrified of losing my life.” In other words, since the spiritual
illumination of divine revelation and the spiritual radiance of the angel were
41
abruptly thrust upon the human nature of Rasulullah  and due to the
magnitude of the divine revelation, Rasulullah  assumed that if the
intensity of this Wahi persists in this manner, his human nature would very
unlikely be able to withstand the burden of Wahi. It could also mean that saddled
by the burden of prophethood, he thought he would perish. The following verse
refers to this very burden:
ً ً
﴾۵﴿ ‫ﻚ ﻗ ْﻮﻻ ﺛﻘ ۡﻴﻼ‬ ۡ ‫ﻲ ﻋﻠ‬
‫ﻴ‬ ۡ ‫اﻧﺎ ﺳﻨ ْﻠﻘ‬

“We will reveal upon you a very burdensome word.” [Surah Muzzammil: 5]
If Rasulullah  were receiving divine revelation whilst mounted upon a
camel, the camel would be constrained to sit down. Hadhrat Zaid bin Thaabit
 narrates: “On one occasion, Rasulullah’s  thigh was on my thigh
when he started receiving divine revelation. His thigh suddenly became so
unbearably heavy that I was afraid of my thigh being reduced to pulp.”
Thereafter Jibraa’eel  appeared before him giving him glad tidings of
Allah Ta’ala choosing him as His messenger until Rasulullah  felt at ease.
He then bade him to recite. Rasulullah  asked: “How must I recite?”
Jibraa’eel  replied: “Read in the name of your Rabb Who created….”up to the
verse “that which he knew not.” Rasulullah  accepted the message of
Allah and returned. Every tree and stone he passed en route to his home greeted
him with “As-Salaamu‘alayka Yaa Rasulallah!” This is how he returned home in
high spirits and with firm conviction that Allah Ta’ala has conferred upon him a
rank of incalculable magnitude; prophethood.”
Nonetheless, he returned home and furnished Hadhrat Khadijah  with a
detailed account of what transpired. He also expressed his fear of losing his life.
Hadhrat Khadijah  consoled him saying: “Congratulations to you! This is a
source of glad tidings. Do not panic! By Allah! He will never disgrace you. You
maintain favourable family ties. Your efforts at maintaining good family ties are
notable. You always speak the truth. You bear the burdens of others. You shoulder
the debts of others. You attend to the affairs of the poor. You are trustworthy; you
return whatever has been entrusted to your care. You always fulfil the rights of the
guests. You are always willing to assist in good works.”
Hadhrat Khadijah  also added: “You have never even been close to an
evil woman.”
In short, a person with such outstanding character, a man of such superior
values, a human being with such purity, a man who is an embodiment of virtue
and perfection can never be subject to any form of humiliation. He cannot be put to
shame, neither in this world nor the hereafter. Whosoever Allah Ta’ala blesses with
such exceptional character and virtue, Allah Ta’ala will shield him from all
calamities and misfortune as well.
Chapter 3 43
Khadijah  consoled him saying: “By Allah in whose absolute control lies
Khadijah’s life! I firmly expect you to be the messenger of this Ummah.”
According to other narrations, Rasulullah  gave Khadijah  a
detailed account of what transpired. She responded: “By Allah! Take heart and
accept glad tidings. Allah Ta’ala will never do anything to you but good. So accept
whatever status Allah Ta’ala has conferred upon you because it is distinctly
authentic. And congratulations to you as I also maintain that you are truly the
messenger of Allah.”
Hadhrat Khadijah  then went alone to her cousin Waraqah bin
Nawfal. He was a celebrated scholar of the old and the new testaments. He was
busy translating the New Testament from Syriac into Arabic. During the pre-
Islamic era of ignorance, he steered clear of idolatry and embraced Christianity.
By this time he was very old and blind. On hearing the entire episode from
Hadhrat Khadijah , Waraqah remarked:
ّ ‫لئ كنت‬
‫صدقتِن انه لاتيه ناموس عيس‬
“If you are truthful in whatever you say, verily this is the same Angel who used to
come to ‘Isa .”
Subsequent to this, Hadhrat Khadijah  took Rasulullah  along with
her to Waraqah bin Nawfal. She addressed him saying: “O cousin! Why don’t you
hear it from your nephew (in his own words)?”
Waraqah then addressed Rasulullah  saying: “O nephew! Tell me,
what did you observe? What happened?” Rasulullah  then narrated the
entire incident.
‫مه ايقن بالق واعتف به‬Ë ‫فلما س ِم َع‬

“The moment he heard the details, he became absolutely convinced of the truth and
he ardently accepted and wholeheartedly submitted to the truth.”
On listening to these details, Waraqah submitted: “Indeed, this is the same angel
that used to appear before Musa . If only I was strong enough during your
prophethood when your people will banish you from your birthplace or at least I
wish I am alive (to see those times).” Stunned by what he just said, Rasulullah
 asked: “Will they really drive me out?” Waraqah replied: “This is not
confined to you alone. All the Prophets who came with the divine message faced
hostility from their own people. If I am fortunate enough to come across that era, I
will assist you in all earnestness.” However, not long thereafter, Waraqah passed
away.
,
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Urdu Couplet: “There is no calamity more severe than separation from the beloved,
it is better to die than suffer such anguish.”
Nonetheless, whenever Rasulullah  would think about this, Jibraa’eel
 would appear before him and console him saying:
ّٰ
‫ حقا‬4‫يا ممد انك رسول ا‬
“O Muhammad! You are indeed the true Prophet of Allah.”
On hearing such comforting words, Rasulullah  would feel somewhat
relieved.
On one occasion, Hadhrat Khadijah  requested Rasulullah 
thus: “When the angel approaches you again, please inform me, if possible.” When
Jibraa’eel  appeared yet again, Rasulullah  apprised her of his
arrival. Hadhrat Khadijah  then requested Rasulullah  to come
onto her lap. As he placed his head on her lap, she removed her scarf exposing her
head. “Can you still spot Jibraa’eel  now?” she asked. When Rasulullah
 replied in the negative, she remarked: “Glad tidings unto you. By Allah
Ta’ala! This is an angel, not shaytaan.”
Date of Prophethood
All the Muhadditheen and historians are unanimous over the fact that Rasulullah
 was bestowed the mantle of prophethood on a Monday. However, there
seems to be some disagreement on the actual month of his ordainment. Hafiz Ibn
‘Abdul-Barr  says that he was commissioned with the assignment of
prophethood on the eighth of Rabi‘ul-Awwal. According to this, Rasulullah
 was exactly forty years old when he was ordained as a prophet.
Salaah - The Primary Obligation after Tauheed and Risaalat

Following Tauheed and Risaalat, the very first lesson imparted to Rasulullah
 dealt with Wudu and Salaah. At the outset, Jibraa’eel  stamped
his heel on the ground that caused a spring to gush forth. Jibraa’eel 
performed wudhu with this water whilst Rasulullah  continued observing
Chapter 3 45
his actions. Then Rasulullah  also performed wudhu accordingly.

Thereafter Jibraa’eel  performed two Rakaats of Salaah with Rasulullah
 keeping abreast by following him throughout. Following this lesson of
Salaah and Wudhu, Rasulullah  returned home and imparted this ritual
to Hadhrat Khadijah .
Usaamah bin Zaid  narrates from his father Zaid bin Haarisah 
that Rasulullah  said: “During the initial stages of my prophethood and
divine revelation, Jibraa’eel  appeared before me and tutored me about
Salaah and Wudhu.”
‫اﻟﻨ ﻬﺎر‬ ٰ
‫اﻟﺼﻠﻮ ة ﻃ ﺮ ﰲ‬
‫واﻗﻢ‬
“And establish Salaah in both parts of the day (i.e. morning and evening).
[Surah Hud verse 114]
Surah Muzzammil was revealed in which Qiyaamul-Layl (Tahajjud) was
established.
In the early stages of Islam, Allah Ta’ala had prescribed two rakaats of Salaah
for the morning and two rakaats for the evening. Later on five Salaahs were made
compulsory on the night of Mi’raaj.
Chapter 4
The Earliest Pioneers
The very first person to embrace Islam was the beloved wife of Rasulullah
, Hadhrat Khadijatul-Kubraa  and she was the first person to join
him for Salaah (with Jamaat) on a Monday evening. Hence, she is regarded as the
earliest member of Ahl-e-Qiblah (people who face the Qiblah as a reference to the
Muslims).
Thereafter Waraqah bin Nawfal was honoured with embracing Islam followed
by Hadhrat Ali  who for some time was under the guardianship of Rasulullah
. He was ten when he embraced Islam. On the Tuesday following
Rasulullah’s  ordainment to prophethood, he joined Rasulullah 
in Salaah as well.
When Hadhrat Ali  observed Rasulullah  and Hadhrat
Khadijah  performing Salaah on the day following his ordainment, he asked:
“What is this?” Rasulullah  replied: “This is the Deen of Allah Ta’ala.
Each and every one of the Prophets imparted the same Deen to the peoples of this
world. I am also inviting you towards Allah. Worship Him alone and renounce (the
idols of) Laat and ‘Uzza.” Hadhrat Ali  remarked: “This is something
absolutely new to me. I haven’t heard of anything quite like this. I am unable to
make a decision without mentioning this to my father Abu Taalib.” Since
Rasulullah  was a bit reluctant to disclose his secret to anyone else, he
said: “’Ali! If you do not wish to embrace Islam, don’t mention it to anyone else.”
Hadhrat Ali  remained silent. Not even a night passed when Islam was
infused into his heart. The next morning he presented himself to Rasulullah
 saying: “What are you inviting us to?” Rasulullah  replied:
“Bear testimony that Allah is all alone and He has no partner. Renounce Laat and
‘Uzza and express your hatred for idolatry.” Hadhrat Ali  then embraced
Islam and for quite a while – possibly a whole year as mentioned in some
narrations – he concealed his conversion to Islam from his father Abu Taalib.
47
Following this, Rasulullah’s  freed slave Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah

 embraced Islam and performed Salaah with him.
Islam of Abu Bakr Siddeeq 
When all his household members embraced Islam, Rasulullah  invited his
intimate friends and close associates to embrace this great blessing of Islam. The
first person he extended this invitation to was his devoted friend, his childhood
acquaintance and his intimate confidant, Hadhrat Abu Bakr . Without even
giving it a second thought, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  enthusiastically accepted
Rasulullah’s  invitation the moment it was extended to him.
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“Rasulullah  presented the truth and Abu Bakr submitted to it. A single
Tasdeeq (belief) transformed him into a Siddeeq (passionate believer).”
In a Hadith, Rasulullah  said: “Whoever I presented Islam to, there was
always some degree of hesitation except in the case of Abu Bakr. Without
hesitation, he promptly embraced Islam.”
When Imaam Abu Hanifah  was asked who was the first person to
embrace Islam, he replied: “Amongst the free men it was Hadhrat Abu Bakr .
Amongst the women it was Hadhrat Khadijah . The first slave to embrace
Islam was Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah  whilst Hadhrat Ali  was the first
child to come into the fold of Islam.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr , on the other hand, started the propagation of Islam
the moment he embraced Islam. Whenever he came into contact with his close
friends or they came into contact with him, he would extend the invitation of Islam
to them. As a result of his persistent efforts in communicating this message, the
following personalities entered the fold of Islam: ‘Usmaan bin ‘Affaan, Zubair bin
‘Awwaam, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf, Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah and S‘ad bin Abi
Waqqaas. These dignitaries of the Quraysh and the noble members of their
respective families embraced Islam on the invitation of Abu Bakr . He
brought all of them to Rasulullah  and they all embraced Islam at his
blessed hands and joined him for Salaah.
After this, the following persons were honoured with Islam: Abu ‘Ubaidah
Aamir bin Jarraah, Arqam bin Abil-Arqam, the three sons of Maz‘oon bin Habib;
‘Usmaan bin Maz‘oon, Qudaamah bin Maz‘oon and ‘Abdullah bin Maz‘oon,
Chapter 4 49
‘Ubaidah bin Haaris, Sa’eed bin Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufail and his wife Faatimah
bint Khattaab – in other words, the sister of ‘Umar bin Khattaab – Asma bint Abi
Bakr, Khabbaab bin Arat, ‘Umair bin Abi Waqqaas (brother of S‘ad bin Abi
Waqqaas), ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood, Mas’ood bin Qari, Salit bin ‘Amr, ‘Ayyaash bin
Abi Rabi’ah and his wife Asma bint Salaamah, Khunais bin Huzaafah, ‘Aamir bin
Rabi’ah, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh and his brother Abu Ahmad bin Jahsh, Ja’far bin Abi
Taalib and his wife Asma bint ‘Umais, Haatib bin Haaris, his wife Faatimah bint
Mujallal and his brother Khattaab bin Haaris with his wife Fakihah bint Yasar,
M‘amar bin Haaris, Saaib bin ‘Usmaan bin Maz‘oon, Mutallib bin Azhar with his
wife Ramlah bint Abi ‘Awf, Na‘im bin ‘Abdullah Al-Nahhaam, ‘Aamir bin
Fuhairah the emancipated slave of Abu Bakr Siddeeq, Khaalid bin Sa’eed bin Aas
and his wife Umaniyyah bint Khalaf, Haatib bin ‘Amr, Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah,
Waaqid bin ‘Abdullah, the four sons of Bukair bin ‘Abdyaalil; Khaalid, Aamir,
‘Aqil and Iyaas, ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir and Suhaib bin Sinaan the freed slave of
‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan .
Whenever the hour of Salaah approached, Rasulullah  would
secretly perform his Salaah in a secluded valley or mountain pass. On one occasion,
Rasulullah  was performing his Salaah with Hadhrat Ali  on an
isolated mountain pass when all of a sudden Abu Taalib appeared in the distance
coming their way. Up until that time, Hadhrat Ali  had not exposed his
conversion to his parents, uncles and other relatives. Abu Taalib addressed
Rasulullah  saying: “Nephew! What religion is this? What kind of
devotion is this?” Rasulullah  replied: “Uncle! This is the Deen of Allah
Ta’ala, His angels and all His prophets, especially the Deen of our great
grandfather, Hadhrat Ibraaheem . Allah Ta’ala has selected me as His
messenger to all His servants. You are most eligible for my advice. I invite you
towards goodness and divine guidance. You ought to accept this divine guidance
and true religion first and prove your support and assistance towards me.”
Abu Taalib replied: “Nephew! Personally I am unable to renounce my ancestral
religion but I assure you that in my presence nobody will hurt you.” He then
turned to Hadhrat Ali  asking: “Son! What is this religion you have submitted
to?” Hadhrat Ali  replied: “Father! I have faith in Allah and His Rasool
 and I believe in whatever he conveys to us from Allah. I join him in
Salaah and I am his devoted adherent.” Abu Taalib remarked: “Very well then! He
has unquestionably invited you to good. Don’t ever abandon him.”
The Islam of Ja’far bin Abi Taalib 
One day Hadhrat Ali  was engaged in Salaah standing on the right of
Rasulullah . Unexpectedly Abu Taalib happened to pass by. Hadhrat
Ja’far was also with him. Abu Taalib addressed Ja’far advising: “Son! Like Ali, you
should also lend your support to your cousin. Stand on his left and join them in
Salaah.” Ja’far  was also one of the foremost Sahaabah  to embrace
Islam. He was either the twenty-first or the twenty-fifth person to embrace Islam.
Islam of ‘Afeef Kindi 
‘Afeef Kindi was a close friend of Hadhrat ‘Abbaas . He was a perfume

merchant by trade. By virtue of his commercial activities, he would often travel to
Yemen. ‘Afeef Kindi  says: “I was once in Mina with Hadhrat ‘Abbaas 
when a man appeared, performed wudhu methodically and stood up for Salaah.
Thereafter a woman appeared, performed wudhu in the same manner and stood up
for Salaah. A little while later, an eleven-year-old boy came. He too performed
wudhu and stood for Salaah in line with this man. I asked ‘Abbaas: ‘What religion
is this?’ He replied: ‘This is the Deen of my nephew Muhammad who professes to
be the apostle of Allah Ta’ala. This youngster is Ali bin Abi Taalib who is also my
nephew whilst this woman is Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah’s wife.’” ‘Afeef later
embraced Islam. He would often lament: “If only I was the fourth person to
embrace Islam.”
Islam of Talhah 
Hadhrat Talhah  narrates: “I once went on a business trip to Busraa. One day
I was in the market place of Busraa when I heard a monk shouting out: ‘Ascertain
if there is anyone from the Haram of Makkah (amongst these traders).’ I responded:
‘I am from the Haram of Makkah.’ The monk asked: ‘Has Ahmad  made
an appearance as yet?’ I posed: ‘Come again! Who?’ The monk replied: ‘The son of
‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. This is the month of his impending appearance. He
is expected to appear in the Haram of Makkah and migrate to a rocky land
abundant in date palms. He is the final messenger. Be vigilant. Do not get left
behind.’ This statement had a profound effect upon my heart. I immediately
returned to Makkah enquiring if anything new had transpired recently. They
replied: ‘Yes, Muhammad, the trustworthy, has claimed prophethood and the son of
Abu Quhaafah (i.e. Abu Bakr ) has committed himself with him.’ Without
delay, I set out for Abu Bakr . He took me to Rasulullah , before
whom I embraced Islam and I also gave him a detailed account of what transpired
between the monk and myself at Busraa.”
Chapter 4 51
Islam of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas 
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  says: “Three nights before embracing Islam I saw a
dream; I was in an appallingly intense darkness. It was so dark that I could see
absolutely nothing. Suddenly, a moon appeared and I started trailing behind it. To
my amazement, I observed that Zaid bin Haarisah, Ali and Abu Bakr have already
preceded me to its light. On awakening, I set out for Rasulullah  and
enquired: ‘What do you preach?’ Rasulullah  replied: ‘I invite you
towards the oneness of Allah Ta’ala and I invite you to attest that I am the
messenger of Allah.’ I submitted: ‘I bear witness that there is none worthy of
worship besides Allah and that Muhammad  is Allah’s messenger.’”
Islam of Khaalid bin Sa’eed bin Aas 

He is among the earliest to embrace Islam. He was either the fourth or fifth person
to embrace Islam.
Before embracing Islam, he had rather a strange dream. He says: “I dreamt that
I am standing at the edge of a broad and deep abyss blazing with gigantic flames.
My father, Sa’eed was about to shove me into the raging blaze when all of a sudden
Rasulullah  appeared before us. He clutched me by the waist and hauled
me away. I got up saying: ‘By Allah! This dream is true.’”
I then proceeded to Abu Bakr  and related the dream to him. Abu Bakr
 said: “Allah wants good for you. This is the messenger of Allah. Follow him
and embrace Islam. Insha Allah, once you adhere to Rasulullah  and
embrace Islam, your Islam will safeguard you from falling into the pit of fire but it
appears as though your father is falling into the pit of fire.” I then went to
Rasulullah  and enquired: “O Muhammad! (), to what are you
inviting us?” Rasulullah  replied:
ً ّٰ
‫ شيك ل وان ممدا عبده و رسول تلع ما‬O ‫ وحده‬4‫ادعوك ا¯ ا‬
‫ يدري من عبده‬O‫ ينفع و‬O‫ يض و‬O ‫كنت عليه من عبادة حجر‬
‫ممن لم يعبده‬
“I am inviting you towards Allah Who is the One, He has no partner and verily
Muhammad is His slave and messenger. And I invite you to relinquish your
worship of stones (idols) that neither control benefit nor harm nor do they even
comprehend who worships them or who desists from worshipping them.”
Khaalid relates: “I then submitted before Rasulullah : ‘I testify that Allah

is all alone and you (O Muhammad) are His true messenger.’ In this manner I
embraced Islam. When my father got wind of me embracing Islam, he beat me up
so severely that I sustained a deep gash to the head. He broke a stick on my head
and shrieked: ‘You are taking after Muhammad () who is opposed to the
whole nation. He condemns our deities and depicts our forefathers as stupid and
ignorant.’ I responded: ‘By Allah! Muhammad  is true in his
proclamations.’ This statement enraged my father even further. He hurled stern
abuse at me and bellowed: ‘You contemptible idiot! Get out of here. Do not ever
come close to me. By Allah! I will cut off your food.’ I calmly replied: ‘If you
deprive me of food, Allah Ta’ala will provide me His sustenance.’ Upon this, my
father drove me out of the house and warned his children to sever relationship with
me and to refrain from speaking to me. He cautioned them that if any of them were
to speak to me, he would face the same fate.”
Khaalid  subsequently left his father’s house and headed for the
welcoming door of Rasulullah . Rasulullah  held Khaalid 
in high esteem and always welcomed him warmly. A man does not bring
dishonour to himself by leaving the door of anyone but he would definitely not
find honour and respect wherever he goes if he has to leave the door of Allah
Ta’ala and His Rasool . Allah Ta’ala declares: “And to Allah alone is
honour, and to His Rasool  and to the believers but the hypocrites are not
aware.” This verse clearly reveals that honour lies in Imaan whilst disbelief (kufr) is
downright humiliation and shame. There is no likelihood whatsoever of honour in
kufr.
Hadhrat Khaalid  says: “My father once fell seriously ill. He vowed: ‘If
Allah restores my health from this illness, I will not allow the deity Muhammad
urges us to worship to be worshipped here in Makkah.’ I made dua to Allah Ta’ala:
‘O Allah! Do not allow my father to get up from this illness.’ He eventually died
from this illness.”
Islam of ‘Usmaan bin ‘Affaan 
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  says: “I once entered my house when I saw my aunt

(mother’s sister), Su‘daa sitting amongst the house folks. My aunt frequently
engaged in soothsaying. The moment she laid eyes on me, she said:
ۡ ُ ً ََ ً ََ ُ ۡ ً ََ َ ّۡ ُ َ ۡ َۡ
‫ثا اخ ٰرى‬K‫ثا َوث‬K‫ث َّم ث‬ ‫ثا ِوت َرا‬K‫ت ث‬ ‫ابـ ِش وحيِي‬
“Congratulations and glad tidings to you O ‘Usmaan. Thrice, thrice again and
thrice once more.
Chapter 4 53
َّ َ ‫ت‬
‫شا‬ َ ‫لَق ِۡي‬
ً ۡ ‫ت َخ‬
َ ‫يا َو ُوق ِۡي‬ ً ۡ ‫ُث َّم باُ ۡخ ٰرى ل َِك تُت َِّم َع‬
‫ـشا‬ ِ
Then again once more to complete ten. You are fortunate to acquire good and you
are privileged to be protected from evil.
ۡ َ ‫ك ٌر َولَق ِۡي‬
‫ت بِك َرا‬
ۡ َ ََۡ ۡ ً ّٰ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ِ َح َصانا َزه َرا‬4‫ت َوا‬
ِ ‫وانت ب‬ ‫نكح‬
By Allah! You have wedded an incredibly chaste and beautiful woman. You are an
unmarried man and you have married a virgin.”
I was quite shocked at hearing these stanzas. I exclaimed: “Aunty! What are you
saying.” Upon this, she recited the following couplets:
ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ُۡ ُ ُۡ ُ ُۡ
‫لك المال ولك الشأن‬ ‫عث َمان يَا عث َمان يَا عث َمان‬
“Usmaan! O ‘Usmaan! O ‘Usmaan! You are a man of exceptional beauty coupled

with great honour.
ُ َّ ّ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ ٌّ َ َ
‫اليَّان‬ ِ‫ارسله ِب ِقه‬ ‫بهان‬ ‫هذا ن ِب معه ال‬
This is a Prophet who possesses irrefutable proof. The Lord of reward (Allah Ta’ala)
sent him with the truth.
ُ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َۡ َُ َ َ
‫ ۡوثان‬O‫ تغ َيابِك ا‬O ‫فاتبِ ۡع ُه‬ ‫ن ۡيل والف ۡرقان‬
ِ ‫وجاءه ال‬
And the divine word, which differentiates between good and evil, descends upon
him. So adhere to him and do not allow the idols to mislead you.”
I responded: “Aunty! You mention such things the names of which have been
unheard of in this city. I don’t understand.” Upon this S‘udaa elaborated:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ يدعو ا¯ ا‬4‫ جاء بتنيل ا‬4‫ رسول من عند ا‬4‫ممد بن عبدا‬
‫ح وامره ناح ما ينفع الصياح لو وقع الرماح‬K‫ح ودينه ف‬K‫قول ص‬
‫وسلت الصفاح و مدت الرماح‬
“Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah, the Rasool of Allah . He has appeared with
the divine word of Allah beckoning everyone to come towards Allah. His
proclamations are a source of guidance. His religion is a fountainhead of success.
His condition is one of victory. Screeching against him will be of no avail despite the
numerous swords and abundant spears.”
Saying this, she departed but her words left a profound impression upon my heart.
I fell into a state of contemplation and anxiety. Since I had an excellent friendly
relationship with Abu Bakr, I proceeded to him and sat down with him. Seeing my
pensive mood, he asked: “What seems to distress you?” I related the entire incident
about my aunt and her poetical predictions to Abu Bakr . Abu Bakr 
responded: “’Usmaan! You are, Maashaa Allah, intelligent and decisive. You are an
expert in differentiating between the truth and falsehood. People like you are not
bewildered between the truth and falsehood. What are these idols that our people
are bowing down to? Are these idols not blind and deaf? They can neither hear nor
see. Neither can they cause harm nor are they able to confer benefit.” Hadhrat
‘Usmaan  replied: “By Allah! They are precisely as you profess.” Upon this
Abu Bakr  commented: “By Allah! Your aunt spoke the truth. Muhammad
bin ‘Abdullah is the messenger of Allah. Allah Ta’ala commissioned him with His
message to the people. If you deem it appropriate, you may attend one of his
discourses and listen to what he says.”
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  says: “Whilst we were still in conversation, suddenly,
as a stroke of fortune, Rasulullah  happened to pass by. Hadhrat Ali
 was with him. Rasulullah  had a cloth in one hand. On seeing
Rasulullah , Abu Bakr  stood up and whispered something into his
ear. Rasulullah  approached us and seated himself before us. He then
addressed ‘Usmaan  saying: “O ‘Usmaan! Allah invites you to Jannah. So
accept His invitation. I am the messenger of Allah Ta’ala sent to you and the entire
creation.”
ّٰ
O‫ ل ا‬O ‫ ما تماللت حي سمعت قول ان اسلمت واشهدت ان‬4‫فوا‬
ّٰ
‫ شيك ل وان ممدا عبده و رسول‬O ‫ وحده‬4‫ا‬
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  relates: “By Allah! The moment I heard this, I was unable
to restrain myself. Without any delay, I embraced Islam declaring: ‘I bear witness
that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, He is alone and has no partner and I
bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.’”
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  relates: “Not even a few days had passed when
Rasulullah’s  daughter Hadhrat Ruqayyaa  came into my Nikah.
Everyone viewed this union with a complimentary eye. To mark this auspicious
occasion, my aunt Su‘daa composed the following stanzas:
Chapter 4 55
َ ۡ ¯َِ ‫ِي ا‬
ّ‫الق‬ ُ ّٰ ‫فَا َ ۡر َش َدهُ َو‬
ۡ ‫ َي ۡهد‬4‫ا‬ َ َّ
ِ‫الصيف بِق ۡو ِل‬
َ ۡ ُ ُ ّٰ
‫ عث َمان‬4‫ا‬
َ
‫ه َدى‬
ِ
“Allah has guided ‘Usmaan, His chosen servant. Only Allah has guided him and He
is the only being Who leads the way.
َ ۡ ‫ يَ ُص ُّد َعن‬O
‫ال ّ ِق‬
َ
‫ي‬ َ ‫َو َك َن ۡاب َن ا َ ۡر‬
‫و‬ ً
‫ممدا‬
َّ
‫بالرأي الشدِي ِد‬
ِ
َ
‫ف َتابَع‬
ِ
Owing to his sound discretion, ‘Usmaan has pursued Muhammad. After all, he is
the son of Arwa. (Arwa literally means contemplative and understanding. In other
words, ‘Usmaan acted with sound thinking. Arwa the daughter of Kuraiz was
actually Hadhrat ‘Usmaan’s  mother.) And he (‘Usmaan ) is a man
who does not desist from the truth.
ُُۡ َّ َ ‫فَ َك َن َك َب ۡدر َم‬ ٰ ُ َ ََۡ
‫ف ِق‬O‫از َج الش ۡمس ِف ا‬ ٍ ‫الم ۡب ُع ۡوث ا ِۡحدى َب َنات ِه‬
َ ‫ك َح ُه‬ ‫وان‬
And the commissioned personality (Rasulullah ) handed over one of his
daughters to him in marriage. As though this union is like the sun and the full
moon coming together on the horizon.
ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ
‫ ا ۡرسِلت ل ِلخلق‬4‫ِي ا‬
‫فانت ام‬ ‫ف ًِدى لك يَا ۡاب َن الهاشمي ُم ۡه َجت‬
May my life be sacrificed for you O Son of the Hashimites! (Ref to Rasulullah
.) You are the trusted personage whom Allah Ta’ala has sent to His
creation.”
Subsequent to the day Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  embraced Islam, Hadhrat Abu Bakr
 brought the following luminaries to Rasulullah : ‘Usmaan bin
Maz‘oon, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarraah, Abu Salimah bin ‘Abdul-Asad, Arqam bin
Arqam . All of them embraced Islam at the same time in one sitting.
Yazeed bin Rumaan narrates: “‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon, ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris,
Abu ‘Ubaidah Jarraah, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf and Abu Salimah bin ‘Abdul
Asad all got together and appeared before Rasulullah . Rasulullah
 presented them with Islam and enlightened them about the injunctions
of Islam. All of them embraced Islam with one voice. These personages embraced
Islam before they had taken refuge in Daar-e-Arqam.”
Islam of ‘Ammaar  and Suhaib 
‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  says: “I met Suhaib bin Sinaan at the door of Daar-e-
Arqam whilst Rasulullah  was inside. I asked Suhaib what his intention
was. He surprised me by asking me the same question. ‘What is your purpose for
turning up here?’ he enquired. I replied: ‘I intend to go to him (Rasulullah
) and listen to what he has to say.’ Both of us then entered Daar-e-

Arqam where Rasulullah  presented before us the teachings of Islam.
Both of us, without further ado, embraced Islam.”
Islam of ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah 
‘Amr bin ‘Abasah  says: “From the very outset, I had a horrid revulsion
towards idolatry. I always considered these idols to be mere chunks of stone that
possess absolutely no control over benefit or harm. I once came across a scholar
from the Ahl-e-Kitaab (people of the scriptures – Jews or Christians) and asked him
about the best and most virtuous religion. The scholar replied: ‘A man is bound to
appear in Makkah, who would invite people away from idolatry towards the unity
of Allah. He will bring forth the best and most virtuous religion. If you happen to
meet him, make sure you adhere to his teachings.’”
‘Amr bin ‘Abasah  says: “From that day onwards, the city of Makkah
was constantly in my thoughts. I would attempt to glean some information about
Makkah from every traveller to the holy city until one day I got wind of
Rasulullah’s  appearance.”
The moment I received news of Rasulullah’s  appearance, I set out
for Makkah. I met with Rasulullah  covertly and asked him: “Who are
you?” “I am the messenger of Allah.” He replied. I asked: “Did Allah Ta’ala
commission you to this earth as a messenger?” He replied in the affirmative. I then
asked him what message Allah Ta’ala has communicated through him to us.
Rasulullah  replied: “The message from Allah Ta’ala is that He (Allah) be
accepted as one, no partner be assigned to him, idols should be destroyed and
favourable family ties maintained.” I then enquired: “In this regard, who is with
you?” He replied: “A free man and a slave.” In other words, Abu Bakr  and
Bilal . I finally submitted: “I am also your ardent follower. I also wish to
remain with you.” Rasulullah  advised: “At this point in time, I suggest
you return home. When you learn of my dominance, you may return.”
‘Amr bin ‘Abasah  says: “I embraced Islam and returned home but I
continued keeping track of Rasulullah  and his sustained progress. When
Rasulullah  ultimately migrated to Madinah Munawwarah, I presented
myself before him and asked: “O Prophet of Allah! Do you remember me?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Of course, you are the person who approached me
whilst I was in Makkah (during the earlier times of Islam).” I responded: “Yes, I am
the same person. O Prophet of Allah! Teach me something…..”
Chapter 4 57
Islam of Abu Zarr 
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that when Abu Zarr Ghifaari  learnt of

Rasulullah’s  prophethood, he requested his brother, Unais, to proceed to
Makkah saying: “Travel to Makkah and gather some information about this man
who claims that he is the messenger of Allah Ta’ala and that divine revelation
descends upon him from the heavens. Also listen to his discourse.”
In accordance with Abu Zarr’s proposal, Unais came to Makkah, met with
Rasulullah  and returned home. When asked by Abu Zarr, what
information he returned with, Unais replied: “When I landed in Makkah, I found
some people referring to him as a fraud or a sorcerer whilst others referred to him
as a soothsayer or poet. By Allah! He is definitely not a poet or soothsayer.” Unais
himself was a celebrated poet. This is why he remarked: “I have heard the speech of
soothsayers but the discourses of this man does not bear any resemblance to the
speech of soothsayers. I also appraised his discourses on poetical scales but I
realised that it is not even poetry. By Allah! This man is truthful and honest.” He
also declared:
‫رأﻳﺘﻪ ﻳﺄﻣﺮ ﺑﺎﺨﻟﺮﻴ وﻳﻨﻲﻬ ﻋﻦ اﻟﺮﺸو رأﻳﺘﻪ ﻳﺄﻣﺮ ﺑﻤﺎﻜرم اﻻﺧﻼق‬

‫وﺳﻤﻌﺖ ﺎﻠﻛﻣﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻫﻮ ﺑﺎﻟﺸﻌﺮ‬
“I have only witnessed him enjoining good and restraining evil. I have observed him
bidding good character. And I have heard his discourse, which is definitely not
poetry.”
On hearing this report, Abu Zarr  submitted: “I am not completely
convinced.” Perhaps Abu Zarr  aspired to listen to additional details about
Rasulullah . Such sketchy and condensed information was probably not
sufficient for him. This is why he took some provisions and a water bag and set out
for Makkah by himself. Through the directions of Hadhrat Ali  he reached
Rasulullah  and after listening to Rasulullah  firsthand, he
embraced Islam. He immediately thereafter proceeded to the Haram and publicly
proclaimed his conversion to Islam. The infidels thrashed him so severely that he
fell to the ground. The intervention of ‘Abbaas barely saved him from further
beating.
Rasulullah  advised him to return home and apprise his people about
this message of Islam. Rasulullah  counselled him to return only when he
hears of the Muslims’ dominance. Subsequently, he returned home where both
brothers invited their mother to embrace Islam. She very enthusiastically embraced
Islam. He later invited his people, the Ghifaar tribe, towards Islam. Half of them
accepted Islam there and then.
Assembly of the Muslims in Daar-e-Arqam

As people steadily embraced Islam, a small group of Muslims subsequently evolved.
Thus it was proposed that all of them congregate in the house of Arqam. Hadhrat
Arqam  was one of the earliest Muslims. He was either the seventh or the
tenth person to embrace Islam. His house was on Mount Safa. Right up to the Islam
of Hadhrat ‘Umar , Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah  would
congregate at Arqam’s  house. After Hadhrat ‘Umar  embraced Islam,
the Muslims would assemble wherever they preferred.
Open Proclamation of Islam

Over a period of three years, Rasulullah  continued inviting people to
Islam secretly and people steadily embraced Islam. After this period of three years,
Rasulullah  was instructed to proclaim this invitation openly. The
following verses were revealed:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
﴾۹۴﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
X‫ﻓﺎﺻ ﺪع ﺑ ﻤﺎ ﺗﺆ ﻣ ﺮ واﻋﺮض ﻋﻦ اﻟ ﻤﺸﺮ‬
“Therefore proclaim (Islam) openly that which you have been instructed and turn
away from the disbelievers.” [Surah Hijr verse 94]
ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
﴾۲۱۵ۚ ﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺆ‬‫ﻤ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻦ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻚ‬
‫ﻌ‬‫ﺒ‬ ‫اﺗ‬ ‫ﻦ‬‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻚ‬‫ﺎﺣ‬‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﺟ‬
‫ﺾ‬‫ﻔ‬ ‫اﺧ‬‫و‬ ﴾ ۲۱۴
ۙ ﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
‫اﻻﻗ ﺮﺑ‬
‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﲑﺗ‬ ‫و اﻧﺬ ْر ﻋﺸ‬

“And warn your close relatives and treat with affection those believers who have
followed you.” [Surah Shu‘araa verses 214-215]
ۡ ْ ۡ ۤۡ ْ
﴾۸۹ۚ ﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
‫اﻟﻨﺬﻳ ﺮ اﻟ ﻤﺒ‬
‫ اﻧﺎ‬6 ‫وﻗﻞ ا‬
“And say (O Muhammad!) I am indeed an open warner.” [Surah Hijr verse 89]
In response to such verses, Rasulullah  ascended Mount Safa and
summoned each of the tribes by name. When they had all assembled around him,
he asked them: “If I caution you about an invading army on the other side of this
mountain that is about to attack you, would you believe me?” In one voice they all
responded: “Surely, why not! We have only known you to be honest and truthful.”
Rasulullah  said: “I am warning you about a severe punishment that may
befall you (if you do not accept my message from Allah Ta’ala).” Abu Lahab
retorted: “Woe unto you. May you perish. Did you assemble us here for this reason
only?” Upon this the Surah ‘Tabbat Yadaa Abi Lahab’ (May the hands of Abu
Lahab perish.) This entire Surah was revealed on account of this incident.
Chapter 4 59
Invitation to Islam and Ta‘aam (meals)

Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “When the verse: ‘And warn your close relatives’ was
revealed, Rasulullah  instructed me to bring a Saa’ (app.3.2 kg) of grain, a
shoulder of a goat and a bowl of milk. He then requested me to summon all the
children of Muttalib. I executed his instructions as directed. Approximately forty
people assembled in response to his invitation. Amongst them were his uncles; Abu
Taalib, Hamzah, ‘Abbaas and Abu Lahab. Rasulullah  took the meat and
shred it with his blessed teeth. Placing the meat into a bowl, he bade the others:
‘Take the name of Allah Ta’ala and start eating.’ Each and every one of them ate to
their fill from this one small dish of food. In fact, there was a little left over as well.
All of them were well satiated with this food whereas it was evidently sufficient for
one person only. Rasulullah  then instructed me to produce the bowl of
milk and offer it to all of them. All of them were quenched with just this one bowl
whereas a bowl of milk is not really much. Let alone forty people, a bowl of milk is
barely enough for just one person. When they finished eating, Rasulullah
 was about to say something when Abu Lahab blurted out: ‘People, get
up! Muhammad has cast a spell over your food today. We have never witnessed
such sorcery before this day!’ The moment he uttered this disparaging remark,
people dispersed and Rasulullah  did not get a chance to speak to them.
The following day, Rasulullah  again instructed Hadhrat Ali  to
prepare the same meal. When they finished eating, Rasulullah  said:
‘What I have presented to you, nobody else has presented anything better than that
to his people. I have brought you news about this world as well as the next.’”
Although Abu Lahab was Rasulullah’s  uncle, just as Abu Bakr
 remained in the forefront of personal sacrifice, passionate conviction and
unstinting love, Abu Lahab ventured to remain in the forefront of downright
disbelief, persistent harassment, disdainful mockery and concentrated hostility.
May Allah’s wrath descend on him. On account of this enmity he harboured
against Rasulullah , he forced his sons ‘Utbah and ‘Utaibah who were
married to Rasulullah’s  daughters Ruqayyah  and Umme
Kulsoom  before prophethood to break up the marriage. Abu Lahab’s
objective was to intensify the sorrow of Rasulullah  as far as he possibly
could. However, this divorce proved to be a source of Allah Ta’ala’s mercy. One
after the other, both these daughters were eventually married to Hadhrat ‘Usmaan
 thereby meriting the title of Zun-Noorain (a man of two radiances).
Amongst the one hundred and twenty four thousand Ambiyaa  and the
Sahaabah , only Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  had the honour of getting married
to two daughters of a Rasool one after the other, thereby earning himself the title of
Zun-Noorain. As long as Rasulullah  continued inviting the people
individually to Islam, the Quraysh left him alone without impeding his endeavours
but the moment he publicly proclaimed the message of Islam and started to speak
ill of the idolaters and hampering the ideals of disbelief and polytheism, the
Quraysh poised themselves for a spell of hostility and fierce opposition. However,
Abu Taalib staunchly upheld his support for Rasulullah . On one
occasion, a delegation of the Quraysh appeared before Abu Taalib and said: “Your
nephew speaks ill of our idols, degrades our religion and depicts us as fools and our
forefathers as misguided. Either you prevent him or you desist from intervening
between him and us. We will sort it out amongst ourselves.” Abu Taalib very
diplomatically and affectionately sidestepped the whole issue and somehow
defused the situation whilst Rasulullah  continued with his invitation
towards monotheism and his degrading of disbelief and polytheism. The fire of
hatred and enmity of Abu Lahab and his friends flared up even more. They
despatched another delegation to Abu Taalib saying: “We do acknowledge your
nobility and graciousness amongst us but we will never tolerate the vilification of
our idols and branding of our ancestors as fools. Either you stop your nephew or
we will launch a full-scale battle in which one of us will perish.” Saying this, they
returned.
The unrelenting hostilities of the tribe and the bitterness of his family
members had a profound effect on Abu Taalib. When Rasulullah  came
to him, Abu Taalib said: “Dear nephew! People of your tribe came to me and this is
what they had to say.” Abu Taalib then went on to recount what transpired
between him and the Qurayshi delegation. Abu Taalib said: “So I urge you to take
pity on me and take pity on yourself as well. Please do not weigh me down with an
unbearable burden.”
Judging from this conversation, Rasulullah  was led to believe that
perhaps Abu Taalib wanted to withdraw his assistance and support from him. So
with tearful eyes and a dejected heart, Rasulullah  said: “Uncle! By Allah,
if these people place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left and beg me
to relinquish this work, I will never relinquish it until Allah either grants this Deen
dominance or until I perish.”
Saying this, Rasulullah  burst into tears and stood up to leave. Abu
Taalib called for him and said: “My beloved nephew! You do what you want. I will
never surrender you to your enemies.”
When the Quraysh noticed the determined assistance and support of Abu
Taalib for Rasulullah , they conferred for a third time and coming to Abu
Taalib they said: “’Amaarah bin Wahid is an incredibly handsome and
exceptionally intelligent young man of the Quraysh. Take him instead and
surrender to us your nephew who is responsible for causing such severe friction
amongst the people. We wish to kill him and release the people from this nuisance.”
Chapter 4 61
Abu Taalib replied: “Wow! How can this ever be possible? How can I
surrender to the execution of the child that I have brought up myself whilst I foster
your child in his place? By Allah! This can never happen!”
Mut‘im bin ‘Adi remarked: “Abu Taalib! Your people have presented you with
a reasonably fair ruling and a wonderful method of ridding themselves of this
calamity but you failed disappointingly in accepting this decision.”
Abu Taalib retorted: “By Allah! My people have not been fair to me. You can
do whatever you want!”
When the Quraysh lost all hope upon Abu Taalib, they declared their open
hostility towards him (and the Muslims). They started inflicting a range of
torturous punishments against the weak and vulnerable Muslims they came across
amongst the other tribes. Abu Taalib invited the Banu Haashim and Banu Muttalib
to support and assist Rasulullah . Upon these summons, all the members
of the Banu Haashim and Banu Muttalib clans gave their assurance of all-out
support and protection. From amongst the Banu Haashim, only Abu Lahab joined
the enemy against Rasulullah .
Rabi’ah bin ‘Ibaad  says: “I saw Rasulullah  in the markets of
‘Ukkaaz and Banul-Majaaz inviting people towards Islam declaring: “People! Say
Laa Ilaaha Illallahu, you will be successful.”
Following his footsteps I saw a squint-eyed man calling out to the people:
“This man has turned into a heathen and he is a liar. (Do not believe in what he
says.)”
When I enquired who this man was, I was informed that it is Rasulullah’s
 uncle Abu Lahab. This version of the Hadith says that Rasulullah
 was calling the people thus:
ۡ ِ‫ ت ُ ۡش ُك ۡوا به‬Oَ ‫ك ۡم ا َ ۡن َت ۡع ُب ُد ۡوهُ َو‬
‫شي ًئا‬
ُ ُ ُ َ ّٰ َّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ َ
‫ يأمر‬4‫يا ايها الاس ا ِن ا‬
ِ
“O People! Allah commands you to worship Him and to abstain from ascribing any
partner unto him.”
Whilst Rasulullah  was engaged in inviting the people towards Islam,
Abu Lahab, walking behind Rasulullah , would shout:
ٓ ٰ
‫ياايها الاس ان هذا يا مركم ان تتكوا دين اباءكم‬
“O People! This man is commanding you to renounce the religion of your
forefathers.”
The most select of the entire creation was inviting the people towards Islam and
Darus-Salaam (Jannah) whilst Abu Lahab was calling the people towards a fire of
Lahab (blazing fire).
Qurayshi conference for hampering the spread of Islam

When the Quraysh witnessed Islam progressing day by day, they assembled before
Waleed bin Mughirah who was one of their higher-ranking elders and said: “The
Haj season is almost upon us and your eminence is celebrated throughout the
lands. Pilgrims from far-flung lands will soon ask you about this man (Rasulullah
). So we need to formulate a consistent opinion about him. All of us
should be unanimous in our opinion about him. There should not be any conflict of
view lest we falsify or contradict one another and this will obviously not be good
for us. O Abu ‘Abdush-Shams! (This was Waleed’s title.) Why do you not devise a
cohesive verdict, which all of us will adhere to? Waleed said: “You put your
thoughts forward, I will listen and then I will formulate my opinion.” Some people
suggested: “This man (Rasulullah ) is, Allah Ta’ala forbid, a soothsayer.”
Waleed commented: “You are wrong. By Allah! This man can never be a
soothsayer. I have had an opportunity to meet a number of soothsayers. This man
neither has a single hint of a soothsayer around him nor does his speech
correspond with the humming noises of the soothsayers.” Some suggested that
Rasulullah  is mad. Waleed replied: “No, he is not mad. I am fully aware
of the reality of insanity and mental illnesses. I don’t perceive an iota of insanity in
this man.” People said that he is a poet. Waleed remarked: “I am a poet myself. I am
thoroughly acquainted with the poetic rhythms and styles of poetry. For instance, I
am intimately familiar with the poetic meters of Rajz, Hajz, Maqbud, Mabsut, etc.
His speech has no parallel to poetical compositions.” The people then suggested
that Rasulullah  is a sorcerer. Waleed commented: “He is not a sorcerer.
He does not blow or engage in incantations or fasten knots like the sorcerers do.”
The people finally surrendered saying: “O Abu ‘Abdish-Shams! Then what can we
assert?” Waleed replied: “By Allah! In Muhammad’s () speech is an
extraordinary sweetness and alluring attraction. His speech is embellished with a
peculiar magnificence. The roots of his speech are incredibly fresh and its branches
are fruit bearing. (In other words, Islam is like a wonderful tree. Its roots are firm
and solid in the ground and its branches, laden with fruit, are growing up to the
sky.)”
Waleed continued: “I know that whatever description you have opted for, each
and every one of them is baseless and fictitious. I think that the description of
‘sorcerer’ would be most appropriate. I suppose we should just let it be known to
the masses that this man is a sorcerer and his speech is also bewitching. His speech
triggers a rift between husband and wife, between blood brothers and between
members of the same clan. This is after all the peculiarity of sorcery.”
Saying this, the meeting came to a close. With the approach of the Haj season,
as people started streaming into Makkah, the Quraysh posted people onto every
road leading into Makkah dispensing the following words of caution to every
foreign pilgrim: “Beware of this man (Rasulullah ) as he is a sorcerer.”
Chapter 4 63
This malicious strategy of the Quraysh failed to harm Islam in the least. In
fact, the pilgrims coming into Makkah from far and wide were, by now, well
acquainted with Rasulullah .
In reference to the same Waleed bin Mughirah (mentioned in the
aforementioned incident) Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse of Surah
Muddhatthir:
ٗ ‫ۙ﴾ و ﻣﻬ ۡﺪت‬۱۳﴿ ‫ۙ﴾ و ﺑﻨ ۡﲔ ﺷﻬ ۡﻮدًا‬۱۲﴿ ‫ﺎﻻ ﻣ ْﻤﺪ ۡودًا‬

u
ً ٗ
‫ﻣ‬ u ‫ﺖ‬
ْ
‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬‫ﺟ‬ ‫و‬ ﴾ ۙ ۱۱ ﴿ ‫ا‬‫ﺪ‬ً ‫ و ﻣ ْﻦ ﺧﻠ ْﻘﺖ وﺣ ۡﻴ‬6 ۡ ‫ذ ْر‬

ٗ ۡ ٗ ْ ۡ ٰ ٗ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ْ
‫ ؕ﴾ اﻧﻪ‬۱۷﴿ ‫ ؕ﴾ ﺳﺎرﻫ ﻘﻪ ﺻﻌﻮدًا‬۱۶﴿ ‫ﻛﺎن ﻻ ٰﻳﺘﻨﺎ ﻋﻨﻴ ًﺪا‬ ‫ اﻧﻪ‬M ‫ﻛ ﻼ‬ ﴾ ۱۵x ﴿ ‫ﻊ ان ازﻳ ﺪ‬ ‫ۙ﴾ ﺛﻢ ﻳﻄﻤ‬۱۴﴿ ‫ﺗﻤﻬﻴ ًﺪا‬

‫ۙ﴾ ﺛﻢ‬۲۲﴿ ‫ﺲ و ﺴﺮ‬E‫ۙ﴾ ﺛﻢ ﻋ‬۲۱﴿ ‫ۙ﴾ ﺛﻢ ﻧ ﻈﺮ‬۲۰﴿ ‫ﻒ ﻗ ﺪر‬ ۡ ‫ۙ﴾ ﺛﻢ ﻗﺘﻞ‬۱۹﴿ ‫ۙ﴾ ﻓﻘﺘﻞ ﻛ ۡﻴﻒ ﻗﺪر‬۱۸﴿ ‫ﻜﺮ و ﻗﺪر‬ ‫ﻓ‬
‫ﻛﻴ‬
ْ ۤ ْ ْ ۤ ْ ْ
‫ ؕ﴾ ﺳﺎ ْﺻﻠ ۡﻴﻪ ﺳ ﻘﺮ‬۲۵﴿ ‫ ﺸﺮ‬E‫ۙ﴾ ا ْن ٰﻫ ﺬا ا ﻻ ﻗ ْﻮ ل اﻟ‬۲۴﴿ ‫ﺎل ا ْن ٰﻫ ﺬا ا ﻻ ﺳﺤ ٌﺮ ﻳﺆﺛﺮ‬ ‫ۙ﴾ ﻓ ﻘ‬۲۳﴿ ‫اﺳﺘﻜ ﱪ‬ ‫ا ْدﺑﺮ و‬

﴾۲۶﴿
“And leave me and he whom I had created alone. (I will deal with him on my own.
You don’t bother yourself with him.) And I granted him abundant wealth and sons
who are in attendance and I made life comfortable and smooth for him (by
bestowing upon him worldly honour). Then (in spite of all this) he desires that I
bestow him with more. Never! He has been hostile to our signs (verses or proofs). I
will compel him to climb (a slippery) mountain (of hell and then hurl him down).
Verily, he deliberated and plotted. So let him be cursed: how he plotted. And again
let him be cursed: how he plotted. Then he glanced about. Then he scowled and
assumed a furious countenance. Then he turned away and displayed arrogance and
said: ‘This (Qur-aan) is nothing but sorcery that is being transmitted (through the
generations). This is nothing but the word of a human being.’ I will cast him into
the fire of Hell…….” [Surah Muddatthir verses 11-26]
According to a narration, Rasulullah  had recited before him the
following verse that is the synopsis of good character:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ
ْ ‫اﻻ‬ ْ ْ ۡ
N‫ﻜﺮ و اﻟﺒﻐﻲ‬
‫ﺣﺴﺎن و اﻳ ۡﺘﺂ ي ذي اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮ ٰ وﻳﻨ ٰﻬﻲ ﻋﻦ اﻟ ﻔﺤ ﺸﺂء واﻟ ﻤﻨ‬ ‫ا ن اﷲ ﻳﺎﻣﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺪل و‬

﴾۹۰﴿ ‫ﻛﺮ ۡون‬ ‫ﻳﻌﻈﻜ ْﻢ ﻟﻌﻠﻜ ْﻢ ﺗﺬ‬

“Verily Allah decrees justice, beneficence, and giving to the relatives and He
prohibits evil, abominable deeds and oppression. He advises you that you may take
heed.” [Surah Nahl verse 90]
Islam of Hamzah 
Whilst walking near Mt. Safa one day, Rasulullah  suddenly came upon
Abu Jahal who also happened to be passing that way. The moment his eyes fell on
Rasulullah , he let off a string of curses and words of condemnation
against Rasulullah . However, Rasulullah  didn’t utter a word
against Abu Jahal’s deplorable choice of words and calmly departed from the scene.
After all ‘Silence is the best response to a fool’. ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan’s slave girl
witnessed this awful spectacle. In the meantime, Hadhrat Hamzah , who was
just returning from one of his hunting trips, happened to come that way clutching
his bow and quiver of arrows. The moment she laid eyes on him, ‘Abdullah bin
Jud‘aan’s slave girl exclaimed: “Abu ‘Ammaarah! If only you were around when
Abu Jahal was busy uttering obscenities and foul language against your nephew.”
On hearing this, Hadhrat Hamzah  became enraged. From there, he set
out in search of Abu Jahal. It was the custom of Hadhrat Hamzah  that he
would first visit the Haram whenever he returned from hunting. In compliance
with his routine, he came to the Haram first where he saw Abu Jahal sitting with a
few other members of the Quraysh tribe. The moment he reached him, Hadhrat
Hamzah  struck him so severely with the bow on his head that he suffered a
serious head injury. He then yelled at him: “You have the audacity to verbally
abuse Muhammad (). In fact, I am also an adherent of his religion.” Some
of the onlookers wanted to come to Abu Jahal’s aid but he himself prevented them
saying: “Yes, I am guilty; today I verbally abused his nephew. Leave Hamzah
alone.” Some of those in attendance addressed Hadhrat Hamzah  saying:
“Hamzah! What, have you also turned Saabi (irreligious)?” Hadhrat Hamzah 
replied: “Muhammad’s () truthfulness and credibility has been laid bare
before me. I hereby testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and I believe
that whatever he says is absolutely true. I will never ever forsake this belief. Do
whatever you can!” Saying this, Hadhrat Hamzah  returned home.
When he reached home, shaytaan embarked on a campaign of waswasah
(devilish insinuation) against him. Shaytaan insinuated: “Hamzah! You are one of
the chieftains of the Quraysh. How dare you tag along behind a Saabi? Why did
you renounce the religion of your forefathers? You should rather perish instead of
doing this.” This devilish insinuation threw Hadhrat Hamzah  in a bit of
uncertainty and doubt. Hadhrat Hamzah  relates: “This is when I turned to
Allah Ta’ala in dua. I pleaded to Allah in the following words:
ّٰ
‫فاجعل ¯ مما وقعت‬O‫الل ُه َّم ان كن رشدا فاجعل تصديقه ف قلب وا‬
‫فيه مرجا‬
Chapter 4 65
“O Allah! If this is guidance, insert its conviction into the depths of my heart
otherwise devise a way out for me from this situation.”
According to another narration, he passed the night in this state of anxious
restlessness. He was unable to doze off even for a moment. When he realised that
he was unable to rid himself of this agitation, he proceeded to the Haram and with
utmost humility he made the following dua:
“O Allah! Open my heart to enthusiastically accept the truth and liberate me
from these doubts and misgivings.” Hadhrat Hamzah  relates: “I barely
lowered my hands from the dua when all my futile reservations disappeared and
my heart was swiftly infused with conviction and true faith. Immediately the next
morning, I set out towards the blessed company of Rasulullah  and gave
him an account of what had transpired. Rasulullah  made dua for my
staunch dedication and steadfastness upon Islam.”
According to the narration of Mustadrak Haakim, when Hadhrat Hamzah
 appeared before Rasulullah , he submitted:
‫اشهد انك لصادق شهادة المصدق والعارف‬

“I hereby testify that you are undeniably truthful. I offer this testimony as a
dedicated and perceptive believer.”
He went on further: “O nephew! Proclaim your religion publicly now. By Allah!
Even if I am offered the whole world and whatever is contained therein, I would
certainly not renounce this religion in favour of my ancestral creed.” Saying this,
he composed the following stanzas:
ّٰ
‫م والين النيف‬K‫س‬O‫ا¯ ا‬ ‫ حي هدى فوادي‬4‫حدت ا‬
“I praise Allah Who has steered my heart towards Islam and towards the
Ibraaheemi creed.
‫خبي بالعباد بهم لطيف‬ ‫لين جاء من رب عزيز‬
The religion that came to us from the venerable Lord, who is sensitive and
affectionate towards His servants.
‫تدر دمع ذي اللب الصيف‬ ‫اذا تليت رسائله علينا‬
When His messages are recited before us, the tears of the intellectually gifted flow
freely.
‫باياب مبينة الروف‬ ‫رسائل جاء احد من هداها‬

The messages brought by Ahmad for the guidance of the people, messages that are
unambiguous and clear-cut.
‫ تغشوه بالقول العنيف‬K‫ف‬ ‫واحد مصطف فينا مطاع‬

And Ahmad, the chosen one amongst us is to be obeyed. So do not conceal it with
coarse language.
ّٰ
‫ولما نقض فيهم بالسيوف‬ ‫ نسلمه لقوم‬4‫ وا‬K‫ف‬
By Allah! As long as our swords do not make the final judgement amongst us, we
will never surrender him to anyone.”
Hadhrat Hamzah’s  embracing of Islam was a clear sign to the Quraysh that
from now on it wouldn’t be as easy to harass and persecute Rasulullah .
Chapter 5
The Spread of Islam and the Quraysh of Makkah
When the Quraysh realised that Hadhrat Hamzah  embraced Islam and the
numbers of the Muslims were progressively increasing, Abu Jahal, ‘Utbah,
Shaybah, Waleed bin Mughirah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Aswad bin Muttalib and
other chieftains of the Quraysh convened a meeting to deliberate over this issue.
Based upon the decision reached by this consultative meeting, the members
appointed ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah as their spokesman to Rasulullah . He was
a man unrivalled by any of his contemporaries in sorcery, soothsaying and poetry.
‘Utbah came to Rasulullah  and said: “O Muhammad! There is no
doubt about your distinguished lineage and superior status but alas, you are guilty
of rupturing the unity of our nation. You condemn our idols and proclaim our
forefathers as fools. This is why I wish to make a statement.” Rasulullah 
replied: “Go ahead, Abul-Waleed, I am listening.”
‘Utbah said: “O Nephew! Why do you have to concern yourself with these
issues? If wealth is what you desire, we will amass so much of wealth for you that
even the richest man will not be able to compete with you. If you wish to get
married, we will get you married to whichever woman you fancy and to how
many women you want. If leadership is what you crave for, we will elect you as
our leader. If you aspire to take on the reins of government and kingship, we will
designate you as our king. If an evil spirit possesses you, we will provide the
treatment to remove it.”
Rasulullah  replied: “O Abul-Waleed! Are you over with whatever
you wanted to say?” When ‘Utbah replied in the affirmative, Rasulullah 
said: “Okay, now listen to what I have got to say. I don’t crave for your riches and
wealth and I have no inclination towards your leadership and power. I am the
Rasool of Allah Ta’ala whom He has sent to you with His divine message. He has
revealed a divine book unto me and has charged me to issue His glad tidings of
reward and warnings of punishment. I have conveyed His message unto you and as
a form of good counsel I have cautioned you. If you accept this message, it would
67
be a source of success for you in both the worlds. However, if you fail to accept this
message, I am willing to exercise patience until Allah Ta’ala passes judgment
between us.”
Saying this Rasulullah  recited the following verses:
ْ ٗ ْ ٌ ‫ ۚ﴾ ﻛ ٰﺘ‬۲﴿ ‫ﺣ ٰﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣ ۡﻴﻢ‬ ْ ‫ﻞ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺮ‬ ٌ ۡ ۡ

﴾ۙ ۳﴿ ‫ﺐ ﻓ ﺼﻠﺖ ٰا ٰﻳﺘﻪ ﻗ ْﺮ ٰاﻧًﺎ ﻋﺮﺑ ًﻴﺎ ﻟ ﻘ ْﻮ ٍم ﻳﻌ ﻠ ﻤ ۡﻮن‬ ‫ ۚ﴾ ﺗﻨﺰﻳ‬۱﴿ ٓ‫ﺣﻢ‬ ٰ

ۤ ْ ۤ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
‫﴾ وﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑﻨﺎ ﰲۡ اﻛ ﻨ ٍﺔ ﻣ ﻤﺎ ﺗﺪﻋ ۡﻮﻧﺎ اﻟ ۡﻴﻪ‬۴﴿ ‫ ﻻ ْﺴ ﻤﻌ ۡﻮن‬$ ْ ‫ﻛﺜﺮﻫ ْﻢ ﻓ‬
‫ﲑا و ﻧﺬﻳ ًﺮا ﻓﺎﻋ ﺮ ض ا‬ ً ‫ﺸ‬

ْ ۤ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ٌ ۡ ۡ H ْ ٰۡۤ
‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ‫ ؓ﴾ ﻗﻞ اﻧ ﻤﺎ اﻧﺎ ﺸ ٌﺮ ﻣﺜﻠ‬۵﴿ ‫ﺠﺎب ﻓﺎﻋ ﻤﻞ اﻧ ﻨﺎ ٰﻋﻤﻠﻮ ن‬ ‫ﻚﺣ‬ ‫و ﰲ ا ذاﻧ ﻨﺎ وﻗﺮ و ﻣﻦ ﺑﻴﻨ ﻨﺎ و ﺑﻴﻨ‬
ٌ

‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ‬
ۡ ْ ْ ٌ
﴾ۙ ۶﴿ ‫ﲔ‬X‫ و وﻳۡﻞ ﻟﻠ ﻤﺸﺮ‬M ‫اﺳﺘﻐ ﻔﺮ ۡوه‬
ْ ْ
‫و‬ ‫ﻪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻮا اﻟ‬
‫ﻴ‬
ۤۡ ۡ
‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫ﻘ‬ ‫ﺘ‬ ْ ‫ٌ واﺣ ٌﺪ ﻓ‬uٰ ‫ ا اﻧﻤﺎ ۤ اﻟٰـﻬﻜ ْﻢ ا‬
‫ﺎﺳ‬ ‫ﻳ ۡﻮ‬

ْ ْ ٰ ۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ ٰ ٰ ْ ٰ ۡ ْ
‫ اﺟ ٌﺮ‬$ ‫اﻟﺼﻠ ٰﺤﺖ ﻟ‬ ‫﴾ ا ن‬۷﴿ ‫ﻫ ْﻢ ﻛﻔﺮون‬ ۡ
‫ﻦ ا ﻣ ﻨﻮا و ﻋﻤﻠﻮا‬
‫ا\ﻳ‬
‫ﻫﻢ ﺑﺎﻻﺧ ﺮة‬ ‫ﻮة و‬ X‫اﻟﺰ‬ ‫ﻻ ﻳﺆﺗﻮ ن‬
ۤ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ﻚ‬ ٰ ً ۡ ٗ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ْ ‫ﻞ ا ﻨ‬ ۡ ْ ۡ‫ﻏ‬
‫ ذﻟ‬MN‫ اﻧ ﺪادا‬u ‫ﺧ ﻠ ﻖ اﻻر ض ﰲ ﻳﻮ ﻣﲔ و ﺗﺠ ﻌﻠﻮ ن‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ﻟ ﺘﻜ ﻔ ﺮو ن ﺑﺎ\ي‬ ‫﴾ ﻗ‬٪ ۸﴿ ‫ﲑ ﻣﻤ ﻨﻮ ٍن‬
ۤ ْ ۤ ۡ ‫ ۚ﴾ و ﺟﻌﻞ ﻓ ۡﻴﻬﺎ روا ﻣ‬۹﴿ ‫رب اﻟ ٰﻌﻠﻤﲔ‬ ۡ ْ
‫ﻦ ﻓ ْﻮﻗ ﻬﺎ و ٰﺑﺮك ﻓ ۡﻴ ﻬﺎ و ﻗ ﺪر ﻓ ۡﻴ ﻬﺎ اﻗﻮاﺗ ﻬﺎ ﰲۡ ا ْرﺑﻌﺔ‬

ْ ْ ٌ ‫اﺳﺘ ﻮي ا اﻟﺴﻤﺂء و ﻫﻲ د‬ ْ ‫﴾ ﺛﻢ‬۱۰﴿ ‫ ﺳﻮآ ًء ﻟﻠﺴﺂﻠﲔ‬M ‫ﺎم‬ ۡ
‫ﺎل ﻟ ﻬﺎ و ﻟﻼ ْرض اﺋﺘﻴﺎ ﻃ ْﻮ ًﻋﺎ‬ ‫ﺧﺎن ﻓ ﻘ‬ ٍ ‫اﻳ‬

ۡ‫ ﰲ‬ ٰ ‫ت ﰲۡ ﻳ ْﻮﻣ ۡﲔ و ا ْو‬ ‫ ﴾ ﻓ ﻘ ٰﻀ ﻬ ﻦ ﺳ ْﺒ‬۱۱﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻗﺎﻟﺘﺎ ۤ اﺗ‬M ‫ا ْو ﻛ ْﺮ ًﻫﺎ‬
‫ﻞ ﺳ ﻤﺂ ٍء‬ ‫ﻛ‬
ٍ ‫ﻊ ﺳ ٰﻤ ٰﻮ‬ ‫ﻌ‬‫ﺂ‬ ‫ﻃ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻨ‬
‫ﻴ‬

ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
‫﴾ ﻓﺎن‬۱۲﴿ ‫ﻚ ﺗﻘﺪﻳۡﺮ اﻟﻌﺰﻳۡﺰ اﻟﻌﻠ ۡﻴﻢ‬ ‫ ٰذﻟ‬M ‫اﻧﻴﺎ ﺑ ﻤﺼﺎﺑ ۡﻴﺢ و ﺣﻔ ًﻈﺎ‬ ‫ و زﻳ ﻨﺎ اﻟﺴﻤﺂء‬M ‫ا ْﻣﺮ ﻫﺎ‬

ۡ ْ ً ْ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ
﴾ؕ ۱۳﴿ ‫ﻞ ٰﺻﻌ ﻘﺔ ﻋﺎ ٍد و ﺛ ﻤﻮد‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ٰﺻﻌ ﻘﺔ ﻣﺜ‬ ‫ﺿﻮا ﻓ ﻘﻞ اﻧ ﺬرﺗ‬ ‫اﻋ ﺮ‬

“Haa Meem. This is a revelation from the Beneficent and Merciful. This is a book
whose verses are clearly detailed, a Qur-aan in Arabic for people who are aware. It
(the Qur-aan) is an issuer of glad tidings and an admonisher. (Rightfully they
should have embraced this Qur-aan) but most of them turn away so they hear not.
And they say: ‘Our hearts are sealed against what you are inviting us to and in our
ears are plugs and between us and between you is a screen (because of which we are
unable to understand what you say). So, you do (your work) whilst we continue
doing our work. Say! (in response to them O Muhammad!) I am but a human being
like you (but) divine revelation is revealed upon me that your deity is only one. So
take a straight path towards Him and seek His forgiveness and woe to the
disbelievers; those who do not pay Zakaat and they disbelieve in the hereafter.
Truly, those who believe and do righteous deeds, for them will be a reward that will
never cease. Say (O Muhammad!) Do you really disbelieve in the being Who had
created the earth in two days and you ascribe partners unto Him? That is the Lord
of all the worlds. And He placed therein (in the earth) mountains above it (the
earth) and He blessed it (the earth) and He measured therein its sustenance in four
Chapter 5 69
days equal (in duration) for those who enquire (about His creation). Thereafter, he
focussed upon the sky when it was smoke and said to it (the sky) and the earth:
‘Come both of you enthusiastically or reluctantly.’ Both of them replied: ‘We come
enthusiastically.’ So He completed seven skies in two days and He transmitted to
every sky its affair. And we adorned the sky of the world with lamps (stars for
adornment) and protection (against the Shayaateen by using the stars as projectiles
against them). Such is the strategy of the all-powerful, the all-knowing. And if they
turn away, then say (O Muhammad!) I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the
thunderbolt that had befallen ‘Aad and Thamud.” [Surah Haa Meem Sajdah verses
1–13]
Rasulullah  continued reciting this Surah whilst ‘Utbah was sitting
leaning with both his hands behind his back listening in bewildered amazement to
the recitation. When Rasulullah  reached the final verse, ‘and if they turn
away’, ‘Utbah abruptly placed his hand over Rasulullah’s  mouth and
swearing an oath surrendered: “By Allah! For Allah’s sake, take pity on us.”
Actually, ‘Utbah was terrified lest the punishment of ‘Aad and Thamud
suddenly befell him. Thereafter, Rasulullah  continued reciting right up
to the verse of Sajdah after which he performed a Sajdah. Following his recitation,
Rasulullah  addressed ‘Utbah saying: “Abul-Waleed! You have heard
whatever you have heard. The choice now rests with you.”
‘Utbah took his leave from Rasulullah  and returned to his associates
but the ‘Utbah who returned was not the same ‘Utbah who went. This is why Abu
Jahal blurted out: “’Utbah doesn’t look like the same ‘Utbah. It seems as though
‘Utbah has transformed into a Saabi.” ‘Utbah replied: “I have lent my ears to his
words. By Allah! I have never come across such words. His words are neither
poetry nor sorcery nor soothsaying. It is something totally alien to me. O People! If
you would care to heed my advice, leave Muhammad alone. By Allah! The words I
have just heard are surely something to keep an eye on. If the Arabs assassinate
him, you have nothing to be anxious about and alternatively, if he prevails over the
Arabs, his honour will be your honour and his reign will be your reign because
after all, he is a constituent of your own tribe.”
To this the Quraysh chieftains responded: “Abul-Waleed! Muhammad has cast
a spell of black magic over you.” ‘Utbah replied: “My opinion will remain
unchanged. You do whatever you please!”
Revelation of Qul Yaa Ayyuhal-Kaafirun

The Quraysh pleaded with Rasulullah  to refrain from condemning their
idols. They further requested that if this was not possible, they could come to some
settlement where both parties could be accommodated. They proposed that
Rasulullah  should worship their idols for a year and they would worship
his deity for the forthcoming year and so forth. When the Quraysh made this
bizarre proposal, the following Surah was revealed:
ٌ ۤ ْ ۤ ۡ ۤ ْ ْ ۤ ٰ ْ ْ
‫ ۚ﴾ و ﻻ اﻧﺎ ﻋﺎﺑﺪ ﻣﺎ‬۳﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ و ﻻ اﻧﺘ ْﻢ ٰﻋﺒ ﺪ ۡون ﻣﺎ اﻋﺒ ﺪ‬۲﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻻ اﻋﺒ ﺪ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻌﺒ ﺪ ۡون‬۱﴿ ‫ﻗﻞ ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ اﻟﻜﻔﺮ ۡون‬

ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۤ ۡ ْ ۡ ۤ ْ ۡ
﴾٪ ۶﴿ ‫ﻜﻢ و دﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ دﻳ ﻨ‬ ‫ ؕ﴾ ﻟ‬۵﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ و ﻻ اﻧ ﺘﻢ ٰﻋﺒ ﺪو ن ﻣﺎ اﻋﺒ ﺪ‬۴﴿ ‫ﻋﺒﺪ ﺗﻢ‬

“Say! O You disbelievers! I will not worship what you worship nor will you worship
that which I worship. Neither would I be a devotee to what you worship nor would
you be devoted to that which I worship. For you is your religion and for me is my
religion.” [Surah Kaafirun]
Apart from Surah Kaafirun, the following verse was also revealed:
‫ﻚ ﻟ ْﻦ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ْ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﻣ ْﻦ ﻗ‬

‫ﺒ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻚ‬ ۡ ‫﴾ و ﻟﻘ ْﺪ ا ۡو اﻟ‬۶۴﴿ ‫ ۤ ا ْﻋﺒﺪ اﻳﻬﺎ اﻟْ ٰﺠﻬﻠ ۡﻮن‬6
‫ﻴ‬ ۡ
ٓۡ ۡ
‫و‬
ۡ ْ
‫ﻗﻞ اﻓ ﻐﲑ اﷲ ﺗﺎﻣﺮ‬

ۡ ٰ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ٰ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
﴾۶۶﴿ ‫اﻟﺸﻜﺮﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﻛﻦ ﻣﻦ‬ ‫﴾ ﺑﻞ اﷲ ﻓﺎﻋﺒﺪ و‬۶۵﴿ ‫ﻜﻮﻧ ﻦ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺨﺴﺮﻳﻦ‬ ‫ﻚ و ﻟﺘ‬
‫ﺖ ﻟﻴﺤﺒ ﻄ ﻦ ﻋ ﻤﻠ‬X‫اﺷﺮ‬

“Say! (to them): ‘O you fools! Do you instruct me to worship anyone other than
Allah? And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad!) and to those before
you that ‘if you assign partners (unto Allah), your actions will be in vain and you
will certainly be amongst the losers. Nay! Allah Alone should you worship and be
from amongst the grateful.” [Surah Zumar verses 64-66]
Pointless and absurd questions of the Makkan disbelievers

Following this confrontation, the Quraysh suggested another proposition. They
proposed to Rasulullah : “Fine, if you don’t consent to our previous
proposal, we wish to advocate another strategy in which we anticipate your
enthusiastic approval. You are quite conscious of the impoverishment of your
people. This city of Makkah is also very restricted. We are surrounded by
mountains on all sides with scarcely any greenery around us. So, request the Lord
Who has commissioned you as a messenger to transfer the mountains of this city
elsewhere so that the city becomes more spacious. Also request Him to bring forth
rivers in this city akin to the cities of Syria and Iraq. Furthermore, resurrect our
forefathers particularly Qusayy bin Kilaab so that we may enquire from him about
the veracity or fallacy of your claims. If our forefathers, upon being resurrected,
endorse what you claim and they believe in you, only then would we regard you as
the messenger of Allah and only then would we believe in you.” Rasulullah
 replied: “I was not commissioned as a messenger for this purpose. I have
conveyed to you the divine message I was sent with. If you accept the message, it
Chapter 5 71
would be for your own good fortune and if you fail to believe in it, I will exercise
patience until such time that Allah Ta’ala’s celestial judgement prevails over us.”
“Okay”, enjoined the Quraysh, “if you are unable to accomplish our
demands, make dua for your own benefit that Allah Ta’ala sends an angel from the
heavens to accompany you wherever you go. This angel will verify whatever you
utter. Also request Allah to bless you with gardens, palaces and treasures of gold
and silver, as this will enhance your noble status and piety. We observe that you
also walk about in the market places in search of sustenance. (We find this rather
strange from a divine messenger.)” Rasulullah  replied: “I will never dare
pose such requests before Allah Ta’ala. I was not commissioned for this purpose. I
was commissioned to this world as a Basheer (provider of glad tidings) and as a
Nazeer (warner). If you believe in what I say, I guarantee you success in this world
as well as the next. And if you fail to believe, I will exercise patience until Allah
Ta’ala passes judgement between us.”
The Quraysh replied: “Very well, beseech Allah Ta’ala to thrust His divine
punishment upon us.” Rasulullah  countered: “It is up to Allah Ta’ala to
decide. It is His prerogative either to punish you or to grant you respite.”
Upon this, ‘Abdullah bin Umayyah sprang up saying: “O Muhammad! Your
people have made a number of proposals but you have refused to consent to even a
single one. O Muhammad! Even if you were to hoist a ladder and ascend to the sky
and return with a written permit authorising your prophethood and even if four
angels return with you proclaiming your prophethood, then too I will not believe
you.”
Burdened with torturous heartache, Rasulullah  headed home.
Since Rasulullah  was commissioned to this world as Rahmatan-lil
‘Aalameen (a mercy unto the worlds), the diverse forms of divine punishment that
had befallen the previous Ummahs were withdrawn from this Ummah due to the
barakah (blessing) of Rasulullah . It appears in one narration that the
Quraysh requested Rasulullah  to transform the mountain of Safa into
gold. On this occasion, Rasulullah  planned to make dua before Allah
Ta’ala but Hadhrat Jibraa’eel  appeared, saying: “O Rasulullah !
Inform them that they will get what they ask for but also warn them that if they
fail to believe even after witnessing these definite signs, it will not be good for
them. They will be destroyed immediately.” The Quraysh retorted: “We are not in
need of this.”
Quraysh of Makkah consult Jewish scholars

When the Quraysh realised that their line of questioning was foolish and
prejudiced, they, after mutual consultation, sent Nasr bin Haaris and ‘Uqbah bin
Abi Mu‘eet to Madinah Munawwarah to make meticulous enquiries about
Rasulullah  from the Jewish scholars stationed there. They were
reasonably acquainted with the knowledge of the Ambiyaa and relatively more
knowledgeable with the signs of prophethood. These two representatives went to
Madinah and apprised the Jewish scholars of what was happening back in Makkah.
The Jews proposed that they pose three questions to Muhammad (Rasulullah
). The first question they proposed was: who were the people who sought
refuge in a cave and what is their story? In other words, ask Muhammad
(Rasulullah ) about the story of the people of the cave. The second
question they proposed was; who was the man who traversed the whole earth from
east to west? In other words, ask him about the story of Zul-Qarnain. And the third
question they suggested was: what is the ruh (soul)?
These Jewish scholars additionally advised that if Muhammad 
provides answers to the first two questions and remains silent about the third, this
is a sure sign of his prophethood otherwise he is a liar and fraud.
Filled with joy, Nasr and ‘Uqbah returned to Makkah and notified the Quraysh
that they returned with a decisive proposal. They appeared before Rasulullah
 and posed these questions to him. On the assumption that he would get
some response in the form of divine revelation the next day, Rasulullah 
said: “I will provide an answer tomorrow.” In keeping with his human nature,
Rasulullah  forgot to say Insha Allah (if Allah Ta’ala wills). A few days
later, a number of verses recounting the stories of the people of the cave and the
story of Zul-Qarnain were revealed. In response to the third question, the following
verse was revealed: “Say! (O Muhammad) The Rooh (soul) is from the affairs of my
Lord.” In other words, you will not be able to unravel the reality of the soul. All
you need to know is that the soul is something that when it enters the body, it
comes to life with the directive of Allah and when it departs, the body dies.”
In keeping with his human nature when Rasulullah  forgot to say
Insha Allah, the following verses were revealed:
ْ ۡ ۤ ٰ ٌ ۡ
‫ﻚ ا ذا `ﺴ ۡﻴﺖ‬ ۡ ‫اذ‬
‫ﻛﺮ رﺑ‬
ً
‫ۙ﴾ ا ﻻ ان ﺸﺂ ء اﷲ و‬۲۳﴿ ‫ﻚ ﻏﺪا‬ ۡ ۡ
‫ ﻓﺎﻋﻞ ذﻟ‬6 ‫و ﻻ ﺗ ﻘﻮﻟ ﻦ ﻟ ﺸﺎي ٍء ا‬

“And never say about anything that I will do it tomorrow except by adding Insha
Allah to it and when you forget remember your Lord (as this will make amends for
this forgetfulness).” [Surah Kahf verse 23,24]
This is why Ibn ‘Abbaas  would say that even if a person recalls after a
whole year, he should still say Insha Allah, as this would compensate for his slip-up
or forgetfulness.
When one omits mentioning the will of Allah Ta’ala and relies on his own will
by saying I will do this tomorrow, Allah Ta’ala despises it. This is why, if a person
forgets to say Insha Allah presently, he may redress this act of forgetfulness by
saying Insha Allah whenever he remembers. This will compensate for his
forgetfulness.
Chapter 5 73
Disbelievers persecute Rasulullah 
When the Quraysh noticed Islam being proclaimed publicly and idolatry being
openly condemned, they could not tolerate this any further. They became sworn
enemies to anyone engaged in inviting to one Lord. They geared their strains of
hostility against the principles of Tauheed (monotheism). They resolved to hound
Rasulullah  to such an extent that he gives in and abandons his mission
to invite people towards Islam.
Muneeb Ghaamidi  relates: “I observed Rasulullah 
summoning the people to Islam pleading with them: ‘O people! Say ‘Laa Ilaaha
Illallahu’, you will be successful.’ But alas, I also witnessed some ill-fated souls
hurling abuse at him. Some people were spitting at him whilst others were busy
flinging sand at him. In this manner they relentlessly abused him when a young
girl carrying water appeared on the scene. She approached Rasulullah 
and washed his blessed face and hands. When I enquired who she is, I was
informed that she is Rasulullah’s  daughter, Zainab .”
A man of the Banu Kinaanah tribe narrates that he saw Rasulullah 
in the market of Zul-Majaaz proclaiming: ‘O people! Say ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallahu’, you
will be successful’ whilst Abu Jahal was busy hurling sand at Rasulullah 
saying: ‘O people! Do not be hoodwinked by this man’s motives. He wants you to
sever your connection with Laat and ‘Uzza’. However, Rasulullah  calmly
continued with his efforts without even a glance at Abu Jahal.
‘Urwah bin Zubair  says: “I once asked ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin ‘Aas
 to relate to me the disbeliever’s unrelenting persecution of Rasulullah
. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  replied: ‘On one occasion,
Rasulullah  was engaged in Salaah in the Hateem area when ‘Uqbah bin
Abi Mu‘eet yanked a cloth over Rasulullah’s  neck and tugged it so
rigidly that he almost strangled him. Abu Bakr  unexpectedly appeared on
the scene and jostled ‘Uqbah aside. He then recited the following verse:
ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ً ْ
‫ﻛ ۡﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺒ ﻴ ٰﻨﺖ ﻣﻦ رﺑ‬
M ‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ‫اﺗﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮن رﺟﻼ ان ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮ ل ر اﷲ و ﻗﺪ ﺟﺂء‬

“Are you killing a man who says my only Lord is Allah and he has presented to you
corroborating evidence from your Lord?”
When Fir‘aun and Haamaan conspired to kill Hadhrat Musa , one of
Fir‘aun’s people who had secretly embraced Imaan upon Musa  exclaimed:
“How can you kill someone who declares ‘my Lord is Allah’?”
Allah Ta’ala recounts this incident in Surah Mu’min as follows:
ۡ ً ْ ۤٗ ْ ٌ ‫ﻞ ﻣ ْﺆﻣ‬ ٌ
‫ﻦ ﻣ ْﻦ ٰال ﻓ ْﺮﻋ ْﻮن ﻳﻜﺘﻢ اﻳ ۡ ﻤﺎﻧﻪ اﺗﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮن رﺟﻼ ان ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮ ل ر اﷲ‬ ‫ﺎل رﺟ‬ ‫وﻗ‬

“A believing man from the folk of Fir‘aun who was concealing his Imaan said: ‘Do
you wish to kill a man simply because he says ‘My Lord is Allah!’?”
[Surah Mu’min Verse 28]
During the course of his Khutbah (public address), Hadhrat Ali  asked the
people: “Tell me, who is the most brave and valiant person?” The people replied:
“Unquestionably, it is you.” Hadhrat Ali  responded: “My condition is such
that anyone who challenged me, I have settled my scores with him. (In other
words, my valour is limited to taking revenge only when someone confronts me.)
The most daring and courageous person was Abu Bakr . I recall one incident
when the Quraysh were battering Rasulullah  around whilst taunting
him repeatedly with the words:
‫لهة الها واحدا‬O‫انت جعلت ا‬

“So you are the one who has united all the gods into a single deity?”
Whilst they were kicking him around, none of us had the courage to intervene and
fend off the enemy but by good fortune, Abu Bakr  happened to pass by. He
swiftly leaped into the mob and landed a punch here and delivered a blow there
and just as that believing man addressed Fir‘aun and Haamaan, Abu Bakr 
addressed the disbelievers: “Shame on you! Do you wish to kill a man (simply
because) he says Allah is my Lord?”
Recounting this incident, Hadhrat Ali  burst into tears. He then
addressed his audience saying: “I entreat you in the name of Allah, was Abu Bakr
more superior or was the believing man from the people of Fir‘aun more superior?”
When the audience didn’t answer, Hadhrat Ali  proclaimed: “By Allah! One
moment of Abu Bakr’s life was far superior than that of the entire life of that
believing man. That man concealed his beliefs whilst Abu Bakr  gallantly
exposed his beliefs. Furthermore, that believing man was content with mere verbal
advice whilst Abu Bakr  employed his verbal as well as his physical abilities
in the defence of Rasulullah .”
‘Usmaan bin Affaan  narrates: “I once saw Rasulullah 
performing Tawaaf of the K‘abah. ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘eet, Abu Jahal and Umayyah
bin Khalaf were sitting in the Hateem area. The moment Rasulullah 
passed by, they uttered a few obscenities at Rasulullah . The second time
round, they again told him something repulsive. When they uttered these
obscenities on the third round, Rasulullah’s  countenance changed. He
stopped and said: ‘By Allah! You will never give up until the punishment of Allah
Ta’ala does not swiftly befall you.’” Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  comments: “There
Chapter 5 75
wasn’t a single one of them who was not trembling with fear. Saying this,
Rasulullah  set out for home whilst we moved off behind him. This is
when Rasulullah  prophesised:
ّٰ
‫ء الين‬O‫ مظهر دينه و متم كمته و ناص دينه ان هؤ‬4‫ابشوا فان ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ لقد رأيتهم ذبهم ا‬4‫ فوا‬K‫ترون ممن يذبح بايديكم عج‬
‫ اخرجه الارقطن‬،‫بايدينا‬
“Accept glad tidings from me. Allah will make His Deen prevail and He will
complete His word and assist His Deen. These people whom you are staring at,
Allah Ta’ala will rapidly slaughter them at your hands.”
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  says: “By Allah! I saw them all slaughtered at our hands.”
‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  narrates: “Rasulullah  was once
performing Salaah in the Haram area. Abu Jahal and his friends were also present.
Abu Jahal challenged his friends: “Is there anyone amongst you who has the
courage to go and fetch the tripe of so and so camel and place it on Muhammad’s
back as he goes into Sajdah?” The most ill-fated of the lot i.e. ‘Uqbah bin Abi
Mu’eet roused himself to take up this challenge. He fetched a load of tripe and
hurled it on Rasulullah’s  back whilst he was in Sajdah. ‘Abdullah bin
Mas’ood  narrates: “I was busy witnessing this whole scene but I could do
absolutely nothing. The disbelievers on the other hand, glancing at one another,
burst out in laughter and were actually falling upon each other in gleeful laughter.
In the meantime, Hadhrat Faatimah  who was about four or five years old at
that time, scampered to the scene and swiftly removed the tripe from his back.
Rasulullah  serenely raised himself from Sajdah and thrice invoked the
curse of Allah Ta’ala upon these wicked people. This curse proved quite punishing
upon the Quraysh because they firmly believed that duas are readily accepted in
this blessed city. Thereafter Rasulullah  invoked the curses of Allah
Ta’ala particularly upon Abu Jahal, ‘Uqbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaybah bin Rabi’ah,
Waleed bin ‘Utbah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘eet and ‘Amaarah
bin Waleed. He cursed each person by name most of whom were put to death in
the battle of Badr.
The verse “And purify your clothing” was revealed after the aforementioned
incident.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates that Rasulullah  said: “I used to
live in the midst of two of the most evil neighbours; Abu Lahab and ‘Uqbah bin
Abi Mu’eet. These two would frequently hurl impurity at my door.”
Islam of Dimaad bin Tha’labah 
From the very pre-Islamic days of ignorance, Dimaad bin Tha’labah Azdi 
was a close acquaintance of Rasulullah . He would use invocations and
other techniques to treat people afflicted by sorcery and other such ailments. When
he came into Makkah after Rasulullah  was bestowed with prophethood,
he caught sight of a group of people trailing behind Rasulullah . Some
were calling him a sorcerer and fortune-teller whilst others proclaimed him a man
suffering from insanity. Dimaad appeared before Rasulullah  and
submitted: “I am skilfully competent in treating insanity. Give me your consent to
treat you. Perhaps Allah Ta’ala will cure you at my hands.” Rasulullah 
replied by reciting the following Khutbah:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ من شور انفسنا‬4‫ نمده ونستعينه ونستغفره ونعوذ با‬4 ‫المد‬
ّٰ
O ‫ هادي ل وان اشهد ان‬K‫ مضل ل ومن يضلله ف‬K‫ ف‬4‫من يهده ا‬
ّٰ
‫ شيك ل واشهد ان ممدا عبده و رسول‬O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬O‫ال ا‬
“All praise is due to Allah! We pay tribute to Him and ask of His assistance and beg
His forgiveness. We seek the refuge of Allah from the evils of our base desires. He
whom Allah guides none can lead him astray and he whom Allah leads astray, none
can guide him. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, He is
alone and has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad  is His
slave and true messenger.”
Dimaad relates: “I requested Rasulullah  to repeat his words once again.
By Allah! I have come across an abundance of poetry and I have heard a great
many mantras (chants) of the fortune-tellers but I have never come across such
words. I swear by Allah! These words are submerged in the deepest end of the
ocean of eloquence. I also declare that I bear testimony that there is none worthy of
worship but Allah, He is alone and has no partner and I bear witness that
Muhammad  is His slave and true messenger.”
In this manner, Dimaad embraced Islam and on behalf of his people, he
pledged allegiance at the hands of Rasulullah .
Chapter 6
Arch-enemies
Following his proclamations of Tauheed (monotheism) and invitation towards
Islam, by and large, most of the residents of Makkah turned out to be Rasulullah’s
 enemies but some of them had reached the limits of blatant hostility.
Some of these people were:
• Abu Jahal bin Hishaam
• Abu Lahab bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib
• Aswad bin ‘Abdu-Yaghuth
• Haaris bin Qays
• Waleed bin Mughirah
• Umayyah bin Khalaf
• Ubayy bin Khalaf
• Abu Qays bin Faakihah
• ‘Aas bin Waa’il
• Nadr bin Haaris
• Munabbah bin Hajaaj
• Zuhair bin Abi Umayyah
• Saa’ib bin Saifi
• Aswad bin ‘Abdul-Asad
• ‘Aas bin Sa’eed
• ‘Aas bin Haashim
77
• ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet

• Ibnul-Asda Hakam bin ’Aas
• ‘Adi bin Hamra
Most of them were Rasulullah’s  neighbours and men of high standing in
society. They were relentlessly engaged in hostility against Rasulullah .
Night and day, they were obsessed with this single mission of antagonism. Abu
Jahal, Abu Lahab and ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet were the three most bitter enemies of
the lot.
It is a conventional custom of Allah Ta’ala that when He creates something,
He also creates its opposite. Allah Ta’ala states:
ۡ ْ ۡ ‫وﻣ‬
﴾۴۹﴿ ‫ﻛﺮ ۡون‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﺗ ﺬ‬ ‫ﺧ ﻠﻘﻨﺎ ز ْوﺟﲔ ﻟﻌ ﻠ‬ ۡ ‫ﻦ ﻛﻞ‬
‫¡ء‬
ٍ
“And of everything We have created pairs so that you may comprehend the
(perfection of the Creator).” [Surah Zaariyaat verse 49]
So just as every Pharaoh has a Musa, similarly, every Musa has a Pharaoh in
opposition to him. After all, things are recognised by their opposites.
For this reason we have decided to present a brief outline of each of
Rasulullah’s  sworn enemies.
Abu Jahal bin Hishaam

He was the Pharaoh of the Ummah of Rasulullah . He left no stone
unturned in his wave of deep-seated hostility and fierce resistance against
Rasulullah . A few incidents depicting his hatred towards Rasulullah
 were mentioned in the past and more are to follow. Readers will be able
to clearly ascertain the intensity of his enmity towards Rasulullah  from
the words he uttered even while breathing his last on his death-bed (the details of
which will follow under the chapter dealing with the battle of Badr, Insha Allah).
Abu Jahal’s original name was Abul-Hakam (which literally means the father of
wisdom) but Rasulullah  changed this to Abu Jahal (the father of
ignorance).
Abu Jahal would often blow his own trumpet by asserting: “I am ‘Aziz and
Kareem (revered and noble).” Upon this, the following verses were revealed:
Chapter 6 79
ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
‫ﺧ ﺬ ۡوه‬ ﴾۴۶﴿ ‫ اﻟﺤﻤ ۡﻴﻢ‬¤‫ﻛ ﻐ‬ ﴾ۙ۴۵﴿ ‫ۡ ﰲ اﻟﺒ ﻄ ۡﻮن‬¤‫ ﻳﻐ‬£N N‫ﻛﺎﻟ ﻤﻬﻞ‬ ﴾¢ ۴۴﴿N ‫ۙ﴾ ﻃﻌﺎم اﻻﺛ ۡﻴﻢ‬۴۳﴿ ‫اﻟﺰ ﻗ ۡﻮم‬
‫ت‬ ‫ﺠ ﺮ‬ ‫ان ﺷ‬

‫ﻚ اﻧﺖ‬
ۡ
‫ﻧ‬ ‫ا‬ §
N N
ْ
‫ق‬ ‫ذ‬ ﴾ؕ ۴۸﴿ ‫ﻢ‬ ۡ ‫﴾ ﺛﻢ ﺻﺒ ۡﻮا ﻓ ْﻮق راۡﺳﻪ ﻣ ْﻦ ﻋﺬاب اﻟْﺤﻤ‬¥۴۷﴿ ‫ﺎﻋﺘﻠ ۡﻮه ا ٰ ﺳﻮآء اﻟْﺠﺤ ۡﻴﻢ‬
‫ﻴ‬
ْ
ٖ
‫ﻓ‬
ْ ۡ ْ
﴾ ۴۹﴿ ‫ﻜﺮﻳ ۡﻢ‬ ‫ﺰ اﻟ‬ ‫اﻟﻌﺰﻳ‬

“Verily, the tree of Zaqqum, will be the food of the sinner. Like boiling oil, it will
boil in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water. (It will be said) ‘Seize him and
drag him into the midst of the blazing fire. Then pour over his head the agony of
boiling water. Taste this! You (are the one who claimed) you are revered and noble”.
[Surah Dukhaan verse 43-49]
Abu Lahab
Abu Lahab was his title. His actual name was ‘Abdul-Uzza bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. He
was Rasulullah’s  blood uncle (Rasulullah’s  father’s brother).
When Rasulullah  assembled the Quraysh to preach the message of Islam
to them, Abu Lahab was the first person to falsify him saying:
‫تبالك سائر الوم الهذا جعتنا‬

“Woe unto you! Did you assemble us here for this?”
Upon this incident, Surah Lahab was revealed. Since Abu Lahab was extremely
wealthy, whenever he was cautioned about the punishment of Allah Ta’ala, he
would say: “If my nephew is true in his assertions, I will absolve myself by paying
money and children in ransom. The verse “Neither his wealth nor his earnings will
spare him from it” is a reference to this assertion. His wife, Umme Jameel bintu
Harb, the sister of Abu Sufyaan bin Harb also harboured a streak of bitter hostility
towards Rasulullah . She would often strew Rasulullah’s  path
with sharp thorns at night.
When Umme Jameel learnt that a Surah of the Holy Qur-aan was revealed
about her and her husband, she picked up a stone and dashed out to strike
Rasulullah . At that moment, Rasulullah  was seated with Abu
Bakr Siddeeq in Masjidul-Haraam. When Umme Jameel got to the Masjid, Allah
Ta’ala placed a veil over her eyes. Only Abu Bakr  was visible. She failed to
spot Rasulullah . Umme Jameel asked Abu Bakr : “Where is your
companion? I heard that he ridicules me and makes mocking remarks about me. By
Allah! If I come across him now, I will smash him with this stone. By Allah! I am a
celebrated poetess.” Saying this, she sang the following stanzas:
‫ودينه قلينا‬ ‫وامره ابينا‬ ‫مذمما عصينا‬

“Muzammam we disobeyed and his instructions we rebuffed and his religion we

despised.”
Due to her seething rage and fanatical hatred she cherished against Rasulullah
, she referred to him as Muzammam instead of Muhammad. Muzammam
is actually the antonym of Muhammad. Muhammad means commendable whilst
Muzammam means lamentable.
Expressing her hatred with these few lines, she went away.
Whenever the Quraysh hurled scorn upon Rasulullah  and labelled
him Muzammam, Rasulullah  would say: “O people! Don’t you find it
strange? Don’t you notice how Allah Ta’ala has repelled their vulgarities away
from me? They refer to me as Muzammam but I am actually Muhammad.”
According to another narration when Hadhrat Abu Bakr  spotted Umme
Jameel rushing towards them, he cautioned Rasulullah  saying: “O
Prophet of Allah! Here is Umme Jameel speeding towards us. I fear for your safety.”
Rasulullah  replied: “She will never be able to catch sight of me.”
Rasulullah  then recited a few Qur-aanic verses.
Musnad Bazzaar mentions that Umme Jameel came up to Abu Bakr  and
said: “This man says poetry.” Abu Bakr  replied: “By the Lord of this
building! Whatever he says is not poetry.” Umme Jameel fumed: “You are a man
who indisputably believes in him.”
Saying this, she walked away. Hadhrat Abu Bakr  then said: “O Prophet
of Allah! Perhaps Umme Jameel failed to spot you.” Rasulullah  replied:
“Right until she left, an angel continued shrouding me from her.”
Barely seven days after the battle of Badr, a terminal cyst erupted on Abu
Lahabs’ body and this brought about an agonizing death. Out of fear of infection,
his family members refused to even touch his corpse. In this manner, his corpse
remained decomposing for a period of three days. Finally, out of fear of disgrace
and dishonour, they employed a few Abyssinian labourers to remove his body.
They dug a hole and with the aid of long wooden poles, they shoved his body and
dumped him into the hole. They then swiftly covered him up with sand and stones.
This was the humiliation of this world. What about the disgrace of the hereafter
that is still to follow? May Allah Ta’ala protect us from this. Aameen.
Abu Lahab had three sons; ‘Utbah, Mu‘attab and ‘Utaibah. The first two
embraced Islam at the conquest of Makkah. As for ‘Utaibah, who, at the command
of his father, divorced his wife – Rasulullah’s  daughter – and was rude
to Rasulullah , he perished after Rasulullah  cursed him. At the
conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah  asked his uncle Hadhrat ‘Abbaas :
“I don’t see your nephews, ‘Utbah and Mu‘attab around, where are they?” Hadhrat
‘Abbaas  replied: “It seems as though they have gone into hiding.” Rasulullah
Chapter 6 81
 asked him to search for them. After an exhausting search, he found

them in the field of ‘Arafaat. Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  brought both of them to
Rasulullah . Rasulullah  presented them with Islam and both of
them enthusiastically embraced Islam and pledged their allegiance at his hands.
Upon this Rasulullah  remarked: “I beseeched Allah Ta’ala for these two
cousins. Allah Ta’ala handed over both of them to me.”
Umayyah bin Khalaf Jumahi

Umayyah had the audacity to publicly abuse Rasulullah . Whenever he
passed Rasulullah , he would mockingly wink his eyes. His dreadful
conduct brought about the revelation of the following Surah:
ْ ۤٗ ْ ً ۡ ٌ ۡ
‫ﻨﺒ ﺬ ن‬H ‫ﻛ ﻼ ﻟﻴ‬ ﴾ۚ ۳﴿ ٗ ©‫ﺧ‬
‫ه‬ ‫ ا‬u‫ﺎ‬
‫ ۙ﴾ ﻳﺤﺴﺐ ا ن ﻣ‬۲﴿ ‫ا\ي ﺟ ﻤﻊ ﻣﺎﻻ و ﻋ ﺪد ٗه‬ ﴾ۙ ۱﴿ ¨‫ﻫ ﻤﺰ ٍة ﻟ ﻤﺰة‬
‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻜ‬
‫وﻳﻞ ﻟ‬

ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۤ ْ
‫ ؕ﴾ اﻧ ﻬﺎ‬۷﴿ ‫ اﻻﻓ ٕـ ﺪة‬¤ ‫ ۙ﴾ اﻟ« ﺗ ﻄﻠﻊ ﻋ‬۶﴿ ‫ ؕ﴾ ﻧﺎر اﷲ اﻟ ﻤﻮﻗ ﺪة‬۵﴿ ‫ﺤ ﻄ ﻤ ﺔ‬ ٰ
‫ﻚ ﻣﺎ اﻟ‬B ‫﴾ و ﻣﺎ ادر‬ª ۴﴿N‫ﺤ ﻄ ﻤﺔ‬ ‫ﰲ اﻟ‬
ٌ ْ ۡ ۡ
‫ ۙ﴾ ﰲۡ ﻋ ﻤ ٍﺪ ﻣ ﻤ ﺪد ٍة‬۸﴿ ‫ ﻣﺆﺻ ﺪة‬$ ‫ﻋ ﻠﻴ‬

“Woe unto every slanderer and backbiter! He, who accumulates wealth and
repeatedly counts it (like some of the Hindus who tally their Rupees with relish).
What! Is he under the impression that his wealth will bring him eternity? Never!
Verily, he will be hurled into the crushing fire. And do you know what is the
crushing fire? It is the kindled fire of Allah Ta’ala, which will leap over the hearts.
Verily, the fire will be sealed over them in long pillars.”
[Surah Humazah verses 1 - 9]
Umayyah bin Khalaf was slain in the battle of Badr at the hands of Hadhrat
Khubaib  or at the hands of Hadhrat Bilal .
Ubayy bin Khalaf

Ubayy bin Khalaf also rivalled his brother Umayyah bin Khalaf in his hostility
towards Rasulullah . Once, he picked up a decomposed bone and
crushing it in his hand and hurling its dust into the wind, he demanded: “Will
Allah be able to resurrect this?” Rasulullah  replied: “Yes, when you and
your bones decompose like the bone in your hand, Allah will resurrect you and
hurl you into the fire.”
This was the background to the following verses:
ۤ ۡ ۤۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ٗ ْ ً
‫ا\ي ا` ﺸﺎ ﻫﺎ‬ ‫ﺤﻴ ۡﻴﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ﴾۷۸ ﴿ ٌ ‫ اﻟﻌﻈﺎم و ﻫﻲ رﻣ ۡﻴ‬
‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺎل ﻣﻦ ﻳ‬ ‫ ﻗ‬MN‫ﺧﻠ ﻘﻪ‬ ‫ﺿﺮب ﻟ ﻨﺎ ﻣ ﺜﻼ و`ﺴﻲ‬ ‫و‬

ْ ۡ ۤ ْ ْ ۡ \‫ا‬ ْ
‫ﺎرا ﻓﺎ ذا اﻧﺘ ۡﻢ ﻣﻨ ﻪ‬ ً ‫ﻀﺮ ﻧ‬ ‫اﻟﺸﺠﺮ اﻻﺧ‬ ‫ﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﻞﻟ‬ ‫ي ﺟﻌ‬ ﴾ۙ۷۹﴿ ۨ ‫ﻞ ﺧﻠ ٍﻖ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻢ‬
‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻫﻮ ﺑ‬

‫ و‬MN‫ا و ل ﻣﺮ ٍة‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ ٰ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻫﻮ‬ ٰ
‫ و‬° ¤‫¯ ﺑ‬N$ ‫ ان ﻳﺨﻠ ﻖ ﻣﺜﻠ‬¤‫اﻟﺴ ٰﻤ ٰﻮت و اﻻرض ﺑﻘﺪ ٍر ﻋ‬ ‫ﺧ ﻠ ﻖ‬ ‫ﺲ ا\ي‬
'‫﴾ او ﻟ‬۸۰﴿ ‫ﺗ ۡﻮﻗ ﺪون‬

ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ٗ ۡ ْ ۡ ۤ ۤٗ ْ ۤ ۡ ْ ٰ ْ
‫﴾ ﻓﺴﺒ ٰﺤﻦ ا\ي ﺑﻴﺪ ٖه‬۸۲﴿ ‫ﻜﻮن‬ ‫ﻛﻦ ﻓﻴ‬ u ‫﴾ اﻧ ﻤﺎ اﻣﺮه ا ذا اراد ﺷﻴ ًﺌﺎ ان ﻳ ﻘﻮ ل‬۸۱﴿ ‫ﺨ ﻠ ﻖ اﻟﻌﻠﻴﻢ‬ ‫اﻟ‬

﴾ ۸۳٪ ﴿ ‫¡ ٍء و اﻟ ۡﻴﻪ ﺗ ْﺮﺟﻌ ۡﻮن‬ ۡ ‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻛ‬ ‫ت‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻠ‬
‫ﻜﻮ‬

“And he puts forth for us a parable and he forgets his own creation; he says: ‘Who
will resurrect these bones in this state of decomposition?’ Say! (O Muhammad!), “He
will resurrect them Who created them the first time round and He is all-knowing of
the entire creation, He who produces fire for you from the green tree and then you
kindle your fires with it. Is not He who created the skies and the earth able to create
the like of them? Indeed! He is the all-knowing, supreme creator. Verily, His
command, when He intends something, is merely to say to it: “Be” - and it is. So,
glorified is He in whose dominion is all things and to Him shall you be returned.”
[Surah Yaaseen verses 78 - 83]
Ubayy bin Khalaf was killed in the battle of Uhud at the hands of Rasulullah
.
‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet

‘Uqbah was the bosom friend of Ubayy bin Khalaf. One day, ‘Uqbah took a seat in
the company of Rasulullah  attentively listening to the words of
Rasulullah . When Ubayy learnt of this, he hurried over to ‘Uqbah and
voiced his concerns: “I learnt that you sat in the company of Muhammad
 attentively listening to his words. By Allah! Until you do not go and spit
on his face, it is Haraam for me to talk to you and even look at your face.”
Accordingly, the wretched ‘Uqbah rose and ejected his saliva right onto the blessed
face of Rasulullah . Upon this, the following verses were revealed:
ْ
ۡ ‫﴾ ٰﻳﻮﻳ ۡﻠ ٰ« ﻟ ۡﻴﺘ‬۲۷﴿ ‫ اﺗﺨﺬت ﻣﻊ اﻟﺮﺳ ۡﻮل ﺳﺒ ۡﻴ ًﻼ‬0‫ ﻳﺪﻳ ۡﻪ ﻳﻘ ۡﻮل ٰﻳﻠ ۡﻴﺘ‬¤ٰ ‫ﺾ اﻟﻈﺎﻟﻢ ﻋ‬
‫ ﻟ ْﻢ‬0 ْ
‫و ﻳ ﻮ م ﻳ ﻌ‬

ً ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ
ۡ ‫﴾ ﻟﻘ ْﺪ اﺿ ﻠ‬۲۸﴿ ‫اﺗﺨﺬ ﻓ ﻼﻧًﺎ ﺧﻠ ۡﻴ ًﻼ‬
ْ
﴾ ۲۹﴿ ‫ﺧ ﺬ ۡوﻻ‬ ‫ﺎن‬ ‫ﺴ‬ `‫ﻼ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻄ‬ٰ ‫ وﻛﺎن اﻟﺸ ۡﻴ‬MN6
ۡ ‫ء‬ ‫ﺂ‬ ‫ﺟ‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺪ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻛ‬ \‫ا‬
‫ﻦ‬‫ﻋ‬ 0

ْ ٰ ۡ ْ
‫ ﻋ ﺪ ًوا‬ ‫ﻚ ﺟﻌﻠ ﻨﺎ ﻟﻜﻞ ﻧ‬ ‫﴾ وﻛﺬﻟ‬۳۰﴿ ‫ﺨ ﺬ ۡوا ٰﻫ ﺬا اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮ ٰان ﻣﻬﺠ ۡﻮ ًرا‬ ْ
‫ب ا ن ﻗﻮﻣﻲ اﺗ‬
ٰ ۡ
‫اﻟﺮ ﺳﻮ ل ﻳ ﺮ‬ ‫و ﻗﺎل‬
ٍ
ۡ
ً ‫ﻚ ﻫﺎدﻳ ًﺎ و ﻧﺼ‬ ٰ ‫ و‬M ‫ﺠﺮﻣ ۡﲔ‬ ْ ‫ﻣﻦ اﻟْﻤ‬
﴾ ۳۱﴿ ‫ﲑا‬ ‫ﻛﻔﻲ ﺑ ﺮ ﺑ‬
Chapter 6 83
“And the day when the evil-doer will bite his hands (in despair) saying: “Oh! If only
I had taken the path of the messenger. Ah! Woe unto me! If only I did not assume so
and so as an intimate friend. He indeed led me astray from the Zikr (reminder and
advice i.e. the Qur-aan) after it had come to me.” And shaytaan is a deserter to man
(in the hour of need). And the messenger said: “O my Lord! My people have
discarded (the teachings of) this Qur-aan. (O Nabi! Do not become despondent
because) in this manner We have assigned to every Nabi an enemy from amongst
the criminals. Your Lord is sufficient as a guide and helper.”
[Surah Furqaan verses 27-31]
‘Uqbah was captured as a prisoner in the battle of Badr and he was executed in a
place called Safra.
Waleed bin Mughirah

Waleed bin Mughirah would say: “It is rather strange that Muhammad was
preferred for the revelation of divine Wahi whilst Abu Mas’ood Thaqafi and I were
excluded from this privilege whereas both of us are reputable leaders of this city. I
am the leader of the Quraysh whilst he is the leader of the tribe of Thaqif.”
Upon this, the following verses were revealed:
MN‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﺖ‬ ‫ﻤ‬‫ﺣ‬ْ ‫﴾ اﻫ ْﻢ ﻳ ْﻘﺴﻤ ۡﻮن ر‬۳۱﴿ ‫ رﺟﻞ ﻣﻦ اﻟْﻘ ْﺮﻳﺘ ۡﲔ ﻋﻈ ۡﻴﻢ‬¤ٰ ‫وﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ﻟ ْﻮﻻ ﻧﺰل ٰﻫﺬا اﻟْﻘ ْﺮ ٰان ﻋ‬
ٍ ٍ
ۡ ‫ﺟﺖ ﻟﻴﺘﺨﺬ ﺑ ْﻌﻀ‬ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ‫ ﻣﻌ' ۡﺸﺘ‬$ ۡ ‫ﺤﻦ ﻗﺴ ْﻤﻨﺎ ﺑ ۡﻴﻨ‬
ْ
$ ٰ ٰ ‫ ﰲ اﻟ‬$
ٍ ‫ ﻓﻮ ق ﺑﻌ ٍﺾ د ر‬$ ‫ﻀ‬ ‫اﻧ ﻴﺎ و رﻓﻌ ﻨﺎ ﺑﻌ‬
‫ﺤﻴﻮة‬
‫ﻧ‬
﴾ ۳۲﴿ ‫ﺠ ﻤﻌ ۡﻮن‬ْ ‫ﲑ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﺣﻤﺖ رﺑﻚ ﺧ‬ ْ ً ْ ً ْ
‫ و ر‬MN‫ﺑﻌﻀﺎ ﺳﺨﺮ ﻳﺎ‬
‘And they say, ‘Why was this Qur-aan not revealed to some great man of the two
cities?’ Is it they who portion out the mercy of your Lord? It is We who portion out
amongst them their livelihood in this worldly life and We raise some of them
amongst others in rank so that some may employ the others (in their work). And the
mercy of your Lord is far better than (the wealth) they are amassing.’ (In other
words, the fortunes of the hereafter are far superior to the blessings of this world.
So, if the distribution of worldly livelihood is not based on their opinion, how can
the fortune related to the hereafter (prophethood) ever be based on their opinions?)
[Surah Zukhruf verse 31-32]
Put differently, material wealth, affluence, worldly honour and reputation is
certainly not the basis of prophethood. On one occasion, a few chieftains of the
Quraysh including Waleed bin Mughirah, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Abu Jahal, ‘Utbah
bin Rabi’ah and Shaybah bin Rabi’ah approached Rasulullah  to make
some enquiries about Islam. Whilst Rasulullah  was in the process of
preaching to them, ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum  – the blind Muazzin of

Rasulullah’s  Masjid – also came to enquire about some issue. Rasulullah
 thought to himself that Ibn Ummi Maktum  is after all a Muslim.
He can enquire later on at some other time. These people on the other hand, are the
influential folks of society. If they embrace Islam, thousands of others will follow.
This is why Rasulullah  did not pay much attention towards Ibn Ummi
Maktum . In fact, owing to his ill-timed intrusion, a few traces of a frown
appeared on Rasulullah’s  blessed face. He should have waited for the
first meeting to conclude before intruding the gathering. However, the mercy of
Allah Ta’ala flared up and the following verses were revealed:
ْ ۡ ْ ٰ ٗ ۡ ‫ ؕ﴾ و ﻣﺎ ﻳ ْﺪرﻳ‬۲﴿ ‫اﻻ ْﻋ ٰﻤﻲ‬ ْ ۡ
‫ا\ﻛ ٰﺮي‬ ‫ﻛﺮ ﻓ ﺘﻨ ﻔ ﻌ ﻪ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ او ﻳ ﺬ‬۳﴿ ‫ﻲ‬X ‫ ﻳ ﺰ‬² ‫ﻚ ﻟ ﻌ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ ان ﺟﺂءه‬۱﴿ ‫ﺲ و ﺗﻮ‬E‫ﻋ‬

ٰ
ۡ ‫ ؕ﴾ و اﻣﺎ ﻣ‬۷﴿ ‫ﻲ‬X‫ ؕ﴾ و ﻣﺎ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻚ ا ﻻ ﻳﺰ‬۶﴿ ‫ ﺗﺼﺪي‬u ٰ ٗ ۡ ْ ْ ‫ ؕ﴾ اﻣﺎ ﻣﻦ‬۴﴿
‫ ۙ﴾ و‬۸﴿ ‫ﻦ ﺟﺂءك ْﺴ ٰﻌﻲ‬ ‫ﺖ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺎﻧ‬۵﴿ 0ٰ ‫اﺳﺘﻐ‬

ٌ ْ ۤ ٰ ْ ۡ ْ
﴾۱۱ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻛ ﻼ اﻧ ﻬﺎ ﺗﺬﻛﺮة‬ ﴾۱۰ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺖ ﻋﻨ ﻪ ﺗ ﻠ ﻬﻲ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺎ ﻧ‬۹﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ ﻳﺨ ٰﺸﻲ‬

“He (Rasulullah ) frowned and turned away because there came to him
the blind man. And how do you know? He may just purify himself (from all sins).
Or perhaps he might receive admonition and this advice may benefit him. As for
him who considers himself independent, to him you attended. There is (no blame)
upon you if he does not become pure (from disbelief and kufr etc.). But as for he
who came running to you whilst he was afraid (of Allah Ta’ala), you are neglectful
of him (by diverting your attention to others). Nay, this (Qur-aan) is an
admonition….. [Surah ‘Abasa verses 1-11]
Subsequent to this incident, whenever ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum 
appeared before Rasulullah , he would reverently lay his sheet down for
him saying: “Welcome to him in whose regards my Rabb reprimanded me.”
Abu Qays bin Faakihah

He was also instrumental in ruthlessly persecuting Rasulullah . He was
one of the select assistants and sidekicks of Abu Jahal. Abu Qays was killed in the
battle of Badr at the hands of Hadhrat Hamzah .
Nadr bin Haaris

He was also one of the chieftains of the Quraysh. He would often travel to Persia
on business. On his travels, he would purchase stories and historical accounts of the
non-Arab monarchs. He would then relate these narratives to the Quraysh. He
Chapter 6 85
would tell the Quraysh: “Muhammad relates the stories of ‘Aad and Thamud to
you but I will share with you the legends of Rustam, Asfandiyaar and the Persian
monarchs.” People took great delight in listening to these stories (like the novels of
today). People would pay more attention to the accounts of his legendary fables
than they paid to the Holy Qur-aan. He also purchased a singing slave girl whose
musical talents he exploited by making people listen to her melodious voice.
Whenever he learnt of anyone being inclined towards Islam, he would take this
slave to him and bid her to entertain him with food, drink and music. He would
then ask him: “Tell me, is this better than what Muhammad invites you to? Is this
better than his directives on Salaah, Saum and Jihaad against the enemies of
Allah?”
Upon this, the following verses were revealed:
MN‫ﻫﺰ ًوا‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻫ‬‫ﺬ‬ ‫ﺨ‬ ‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻢ‬

ْ
‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﲑ‬
ۡ
‫ﻐ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﻦ ﺳﺒ‬
‫ﻴ‬ ۡ ‫ي ﻟ ۡﻬﻮ اﻟْﺤﺪﻳ ۡﺚ ﻟﻴﻀﻞ ﻋ‬ ۡ ْ ۡ
‫ﻦ ﺸ ﱰ‬‫اﻟﻨﺎس ﻣ‬
ٍ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫وﻣ‬

ۤ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ٰ ٌۡ
‫ﻛﺎ ن ﰲۡ ا ذﻧ ۡﻴﻪ‬
‫ﻛﺎ ن ﻟﻢ ﺴ ﻤﻌ ﻬﺎ‬
‫ﱪا‬ ً ‫ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ ٰا ٰﻳﺘﻨﺎ و ﻣ ْﺴﺘﻜ‬¤ٰ ‫﴾ و ا ذا ﺗ ْﺘ‬۶﴿ ‫اب ﻣﻬﲔ‬ٌ ‫ ﻋﺬ‬$ ْ
‫ﻚ ﻟ‬
¶
‫ا وﻟ‬

ْ
﴾۷﴿ ‫اب اﻟ ۡﻴ ٍﻢ‬ ْ
ٍ ‫ ﺸﺮه ﺑ ﻌ ﺬ‬E‫ ﻓ‬N‫وﻗ ًﺮا‬
“And amongst people there is a person who purchases idle talk (music, singing etc.)
to mislead people from the path of Allah without knowledge and he takes this (path
of Allah or the Holy Qur-aan) as a form of mockery. For such people there is a
humiliating punishment (in hell). And when our verses are recited to him, he turns
away in arrogance as though he hasn’t heard them, as if there is a mass (deafness)
in his ears. So offer him glad tidings of an agonizing punishment.”
[Surah Luqmaan verses 6-7]
Note: Entertaining people with food, drink and singing girls to deflect them from
their religious convictions are an ancient ploy of the people of falsehood. The
Christians in particular are exceedingly skilful in this and in emulation of them, the
Aryans (modern reformist but fanatical Hindu sect) also adopted this approach. A
person whom Allah Ta’ala has given a little bit of intellect will realise that this is
not the approach of those who worship Allah Ta’ala but the approach of those who
worship their desires. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all.
Nadr bin Haaris was captured in the battle of Badr and on the instruction of
Rasulullah , was slain by Hadhrat Ali .
‘Aas bin Waa’il Sahmi

‘Aas bin Waa’il Sahmi was the father of Hadhrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas . He (the
father) was also one of the people who vigorously engaged in poking fun at and
ridiculing the blessed personality of Rasulullah .
All Rasulullah’s  sons passed away in infancy. In deriding Rasulullah

, ‘Aas bin Waa’il commented:
‫ يعيش ل ول‬O ‫ان ممدا ابت‬

“Indeed Muhammad is an Abtar. None of his sons survive.”
The word Abtar refers to an animal with a severed tail. A person who is not
survived by male descendants or a person not remembered by anyone is like an
animal with a severed tail. (it is as though the person’s lineage is now severed and
terminated.)
Upon this, the following verse was revealed:
ْ
﴾٪ ۳﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ اﻻﺑْ ﱰ‬ ‫ان ﺷﺎﻧﺌﻚ‬

“Verily your enemy is an Abtar (cut off from all good in the hereafter).”
[Surah Kauthar verse 3]
Rasulullah  is fondly remembered by millions of people (unlike his
enemies).
A month after Hijrah, ‘Aas was bitten by an animal on his leg. This caused
such swelling that his leg turned as thick as a camel’s neck. This casualty
ultimately led to his death.
Nubaih and Munabbihah, the sons of Hajaaj

Nubaih and Munabbihah were also bitter enemies of Rasulullah .
Whenever they laid eyes on Rasulullah , they sarcastically commented:
“What, could Allah not find anyone else to appoint as His messenger?”
Both of them were killed in the battle of Badr.
Aswad bin Muttalib

Whenever Aswad bin Muttalib and his friends came across Rasulullah 
and his Sahaabah , they would roll their eyes, wink at each other and
mockingly say: “Are these the people who propose to rule the earth and seize the
treasures of Caesar and Chosroe?” Making such sarcastic remarks, they would
whistle and clap hands. Rasulullah  cursed him in the following words:
“O Allah? Make him blind (so that he is unable to wink his eyes in mockery) and
destroy his son.” As a result, Aswad immediately turned blind whilst his son was
killed in the battle of Badr. Whilst the Quraysh were frantically making
preparations for the battle of Uhud, he was ill but, notwithstanding this, his efforts
Chapter 6 87
in inciting his people against Rasulullah  persisted. He died before the

battle of Uhud.
Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaghuth

Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaghuth was Rasulullah’s  mother’s brother’s son. His
family lineage is as follows: Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaghuth bin Wahab bin Munaaf bin
Zuhrah. He was also one of the most bitter enemies of Rasulullah .
Whenever he saw the poor Muslims, he would sarcastically remark: “These are the
future kings of the world who will become the heirs of Chosroes’ kingdom.”
Whenever he laid eyes on Rasulullah , he would sarcastically say things
like: “What is the matter, has nothing descended from the heavens today?”
Haaris bin Qays Sahmi

He was also referred to as Haaris bin ‘Aytalah. ‘Aytalah was his mother’s name
whilst his father was Qays. He was also one of those who ardently engaged in
deriding and mocking the companions of Rasulullah . He would often
remark: “Muhammad has deceived his companions by leading them to believe in
life after death.”
Allah Ta’ala portrays this in the verse:
ۡ ۤ ۡ
N‫اﻫﺮ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻜ ﻨﺎ‬
‫وﻣﺎ ﻳ ﻬﻠ‬

“They say, by Allah! Nothing but time annihilates us.” [Surah Jaathiyah verse 24]
When their mockery and scorn went beyond reasonable limits, Allah Ta’ala
revealed the following verses to comfort Rasulullah :
ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
﴾ۙ۹۵﴿ ‫ﻚ اﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺘﻬﺰءﻳ ۡﻦ‬
‫ﻛ ﻔ ۡﻴ ٰﻨ‬
‫﴾ اﻧﺎ‬۹۴﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
X‫ﺎﺻ ﺪع ﺑ ﻤﺎ ﺗ ﺆﻣﺮ واﻋﺮض ﻋﻦ اﻟ ﻤﺸﺮ‬‫ﻓ‬

“So proclaim what you have been commanded and (if the disbelievers refuse to
comply) turn away from the disbelievers. Verily, We will suffice for you against the
mockers.” [Surah Hijr verse 94-95]
The most active in mocking Rasulullah  were the following five people:
Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaguth, Waleed bin Mughirah, Aswad bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib, ‘Aas
bin Waa’il and Haaris bin Qays.
On one occasion Rasulullah  was busy making Tawaaf of the
Baitullah when Jibraa’eel  appeared before him. Whilst Rasulullah 
was complaining to Jibraa’eel  about the excessive mockery of these people,
Waleed bin Mughirah happened to pass before Rasulullah . Rasulullah
 pointed out that this is Waleed. Jibraa’eel  indicated towards

Waleed’s jugular vein. Rasulullah  asked: “What? What have you done?”
Jibraa’eel  replied: “You are sufficed against Waleed.” Thereafter, Aswad bin
Muttalib happened to pass by. Rasulullah  commented: “This is Aswad
bin Muttalib.” Jibraa’eel  indicated towards his eyes. Rasulullah 
asked: “What have you done?” Jibraa’eel  replied: “You are sufficed against
Aswad bin Muttalib. Thereafter Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaghuth came along. Jibraa’eel
 indicated towards his head and as per the previous inquiry of Rasulullah
, Jibraa’eel  said: “You have been sufficed.” Thereafter, Haaris
happened to pass by. Jibraa’eel  pointed to his stomach and said: “You have
been sufficed.” Thereafter along came ‘Aas bin Waa’il. Pointing towards the soles
of his feet, Jibraa’eel  said: “You have been sufficed.”
In due course, what happened to Waleed is that once he came across a man
from the Khuzaa‘ah tribe who was engaged in the manufacture of arrows.
Accidentally, Waleed’s foot fell onto one of his arrows thereby causing a minor
injury to his foot. He barely pointed to his foot when the injury started spurting
blood. This minor injury proved fatal for him. The story of Aswad bin Muttalib is
that he sat beneath an acacia tree when he suddenly screamed out to his sons:
“Help me! Help me! Someone is poking thorns into my eyes.” His sons replied: “We
don’t see anyone around.” He went on yelling like this until he turned blind. What
transpired with Aswad bin ‘Abdi-Yaguth is that Jibraa’eel  merely indicated
towards his head when suddenly his whole head erupted in pustules and pimples.
He ultimately died from this affliction. As for Haaris, he abruptly fell so ill that he
started evacuating faecal matter from his mouth. This in due course led to his
death. Finally ‘Aas bin Waa’il was on his way to Taa’if on a donkey when he
unexpectedly fell off the donkey onto a patch of thorny grass. He was pricked by an
insignificant thorn but the injury caused by this rather tiny thorn was so severe
that it proved fatal for him.
On the basis of the aforementioned incidents, readers are urged to contemplate
whether force and pressure was employed in the spread of Islam or whether cruelty
and transgression was used for the eradication and suppression of Islam.
Persecution of the Muslims

Just as Islam continued spreading far and wide and just as the Muslims continued
growing in number, the rage and hatred of the disbelievers of Makkah intensified
proportionately. The disbelievers really didn’t have much influence and dominance
over the Muslims who had backing and support (within their respective clans) but
the pitiable Muslims who neither enjoyed any support nor sanctuary fell victim to
the merciless persecution and brutality of the disbelievers of Makkah. Some
Chapter 6 89
Muslims fell prey to their relentless beatings whilst others were confined to dark
and narrow cages.
Hereunder we recount a few incidents highlighting the sheer brutality and
ruthlessness of the Makkan disbelievers and the firm endurance and forbearance of
the Sahaabah .
Sayyidina Bilal bin Rabaah  (The Imaam of the callers to

Salaah and success)
He was an Abyssinian by lineage. He was the slave of Umayyah bin Khalaf. In the
midst of the afternoon, when the heat was at its fiercest and the boulders of the
desert turned blazing hot, he (Umayyah, the master) would direct his servants to
lay Bilal down onto the baking stones of the desert and place a boulder onto his
chest to restrict his movements. He would then bellow at him: “You will die like
this. If you have any hope of salvation, renounce Muhammad and start praying to
Laat and ‘Uzza.” Even in these trying times, nothing but the words, “Ahad Ahad
(He is one, He is one)” would stem from his mouth.
He would occasionally drape him in cowhide or fit him out with a suit of
armour and force him to sit in the scorching sun. Even in this state of horrible
torture, the words, “Ahad, Ahad” would emanate from his tongue.
When Umayyah, his master, realised that Bilal’s determination and firmness
was not influenced in the least, he tied a rope around his neck and committed him
to the charge of some young boys who continued dragging him around the city but
despite these odds he persisted in uttering the words “Ahad, Ahad”. Consistent
with this wave of unrelenting torture, Hadhrat Bilal  was being turned into a
target of their ruthless tyranny when Hadhrat Abu Bakr  happened to pass
by. Witnessing this pitiful and intolerable scene before him, he addressed
Umayyah, the master, saying:
“Don’t you fear Allah? Until when will this unbearable torture continue?”
Umayyah replied: “You are responsible for turning him into this wreck. Now you
are obliged to release him.” Abu Bakr  replied: “Very well. I have a slave who
is extremely strong and he is passionately devoted to your faith. Take him in
exchange of Bilal and surrender Bilal to my care.” Umayyah consented to this offer.
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  then took Bilal  along with him and subsequently
set him free.
The brutal torture and dreadful injuries inflicted by the disbelievers upon the
best of Muazzins Hadhrat Bilal  left horrible scars on his back. These scars
were clearly visible whenever his back happened to be exposed.
‘Ammaar bin Yaasir 
‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  was essentially a man of Qahtaani descent. His father
Yaasir came to Makkah in search of one of his missing brothers. His two brothers,
Haaris and Maalik also accompanied him on this journey. Haaris and Maalik
returned to Yemen whilst Yaasir decided to stay over in Makkah Mukarramah. He
then established an alliance with Abu Huzaifah Makhzumi. Abu Huzaifah got him
married to his slave woman Sumayyah bintu Khayyat and from this union
‘Ammaar was born. Yaasir and ‘Ammaar lived with Abu Huzaifah right until the
end of his life. When Allah Ta’ala subsequently exposed Islam, Yaasir ,
Sumayyah , ‘Ammaar  and his brother ‘Abdullah bin Yaasir  all
embraced Islam. Hadhrat ‘Ammaar  also had another elder brother by the
name of Huraith bin Yaasir who was murdered at the hands of Banud-Dail in the
times of Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era).
Since ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  had no family or tribe in Makkah to support
him, the Quraysh severely persecuted him and inflicted him with a multitude of
tormenting afflictions. In the midst of the scorching noon heat, they would lay him
onto the blazing sand and beat him up so severely that he would fall unconscious.
At times they would hurl him into (a dam) of water and at times they would force
him to lie down on a bed of blazing coals. On such occasions, whenever Rasulullah
 happened to pass by, he would pass his hands over ‘Ammaar’s head and
say:
‫ما < عمار كما كنت < ابراهيم‬K‫يانار كون بردا و س‬

“O Fire! Turn cool and safe upon ‘Ammaar as you had transformed yourself for
Ibraaheem.”
Whenever Rasulullah  witnessed ‘Ammaar , his father Yaasir
 or his mother Sumayyah  in hardship, he would advise them: “O
family of Yaasir! Exercise patience.” Sometimes, he would utter: “O Allah! Forgive
the family of Yaasir.” Sometimes he would remark: “Glad tidings upon you! Jannat
is eagerly awaiting your arrival.”
Hadhrat Ali  narrates that he heard Rasulullah  saying: “From
head to toe, ‘Ammaar is imbued with faith. (He is an embodiment of Imaan.)” Once
Hadhrat ‘Ammaar  removed his shirt when a few bystanders happened to
catch sight of black scars covering his back. When asked about these scars, he
replied: “The Quraysh of Makkah would lay me down on the scorching stones (of
the Makkan desert). These are the scars of those injuries.”
The same brutality was meted out to his father Yaasir  and his mother
Sumayyah . Initially, just seven people openly proclaimed their belief in
Islam. They were, Rasulullah , Abu Bakr , Bilal , Khabbaab
Chapter 6 91
, Suhaib , ‘Ammaar  and Sumayyah . Owing to their noble

family connections, the disbelievers of Makkah were unable to wield absolute
domination over Rasulullah  and Abu Bakr . However, the
remaining five; Bilal, Khabbaab, Suhaib, ‘Ammaar and Sumayyah  were
persistently subject to their relentless brutality. In the midst of the midday heat,
they would dress them in metallic armour and force them to stand in the blistering
heat. One day, Abu Jahal appeared before them. (In a fit of rage), he thrust a spear
into Hadhrat Sumayyah’s  private part. This wound proved fatal. She
subsequently died a Shaheed.
The first martyr in Islam was Hadhrat Sumayyah  who was
exceptionally old and weak. When Abu Jahal was put to death on the occasion of
the battle of Badr, Rasulullah  addressed Hadhrat ‘Ammaar  thus:
“Allah has slain your mother’s killer.”
In the same difficult and brutal circumstances, Hadhrat Yaasir  passed
away before Hadhrat Sumayyah .
Suhaib bin Sinaan 
Suhaib was actually a native of the vicinity of Musil. His father and uncle were
governors of Ubullah whilst it was a dominion of the Persian Empire under the rule
of Chosroe. Once, this area came under fierce attack from the Romans. Suhaib was
barely a young boy at that time. During the course of the Roman pillage and
plunder, he was seized by the Romans and hauled away to Rome. This is where he
grew up, hence the name “Suhaib Rumi” (Suhaib, the Roman). A person of the
Banu Kalb tribe purchased him from the Romans and brought him over to Makkah.
In Makkah, ‘Abdullah bin Jad’aan purchased him and set him free. When
Rasulullah  launched his public invitation towards Islam, Hadhrat
‘Ammaar  and Hadhrat Suhaib  both appeared together in Daaru
Arqam and embraced Islam. Just as they persecuted Hadhrat ‘Ammaar, the
disbelievers of Makkah also subjected Hadhrat Suhaib  to a stream of wide-
ranging modes of torture. When he intended to emigrate from Makkah, the
Quraysh of Makkah demanded that he may only depart if he leaves behind all his
goods and wealth in Makkah otherwise he is prohibited from emigrating. Hadhrat
Suhaib  consented to this ultimatum and giving a boot to the temporary
vanities of this world, he emigrated. When he reached Madinah Munawwarah and
related this incident to Rasulullah , he commented: “Suhaib has
unquestionably profited in his trade.” In other words, by him trading in his dunya
in exchange for his hereafter, he has netted a healthy profit. In regards to this,
Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse:
ْ ٌۢ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ
﴾۲۰۷﴿ ‫ واﷲ رء ۡوف ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺒﺎد‬M ‫ﺿﺎت اﷲ‬
‫ﻦ ﺸﺮي ﻧﻔﺴ ﻪ اﺑْﺘ ﻐﺂء ﻣ ْﺮ‬‫اﻟﻨﺎس ﻣ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫وﻣ‬

“And there are some people who sell themselves in pursuit of the pleasure of Allah.
And Allah is exceptionally kind to the servants.” [Surah Baqarah verse 207]
According to another narration, Rasulullah  repeatedly affirmed:
ٌ
‫صهيب ربح صهيب‬ ‫ربح‬
“Suhaib has earned a healthy profit. Suhaib has earned a healthy profit.”
The disbelievers of Makkah would torment ‘Ammaar, Suhaib, Abu Faaidah and
‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah  to such an unbearable level that they would often fall
unconscious and at times they would be beaten senseless. This state of
senselessness was so severe that quite often, they did not even realise what they
were uttering.
In regards to such people, the following verse was revealed:
ْ ۤۡ ٰ ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ ﻓﺘﻨ ۡﻮا ﺛﻢ‬H ‫ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻫﺎﺟﺮ ۡوا ﻣ‬¹

‫ﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻫﺎ ﻟ ﻐ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر‬H ‫ﻚ ﻣ‬ ‫ﺑ‬
‫ر‬ ‫ن‬
‫ا‬ ºN ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫ﺟ ﻬ ﺪ ۡوا وﺻ ﱪ‬
‫ﻚ ﻟ‬
‫ﺛ ﻢ ا ن رﺑ‬

﴾۱۱۰٪ ﴿ ‫رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬
“Then, your Lord - for those who migrated after suffering misfortunes and then
they migrated and exercised forbearance, verily your Lord, thereafter, is most
Forgiving and Merciful.” [Surah Nahl verse 110]
This verse was revealed in respect of the abovementioned people.
Khabbaab bin Aratt 
Khabbab bin Aratt  was amongst the first group of persons to embrace Islam.
It is said that he was the sixth person to enter Islam. He was honoured with Islam
even before entering Daaru Arqam. He was a slave of Umme Anmaar. When she
learnt of his conversion to Islam she subjected him to an assortment of pain and
suffering.
Once Hadhrat Khabbaab  went to meet Hadhrat ‘Umar .
Assigning him a seat on his personal seating place, Hadhrat ‘Umar 
remarked: “Nobody is more eligible to this seat than you except Bilal .” Upon
this, Hadhrat Khabbaab  remarked: “O Ameerul-Mumineen! Even Bilal is not
more eligible than I am because Bilal enjoyed some support from at least a few
disbelievers during that period of suffering and anguish. At any rate, some of them
supported and protected him whilst I enjoyed absolutely no support from any one
of them. I recall one day when the Quraysh laid me flat over blazing coals. One of
Chapter 6 93
them placed his foot over my chest so that I was unable to move.” Hadhrat
Khabbaab  then lifted his kurtah to expose ashen scars covering his back.
Khabbaab bin Aratt  says: “In the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, I was a
blacksmith by trade. I was well skilled in the forging of swords. On one occasion I
produced a sword for ‘Aas bin Waa’il. When the time came to pay for his sword, he
declared: “I refuse to pay you a cent until you renounce Muhammad ().” I
replied: “Even if you had to die and be resurrected, I will never renounce
Muhammad Rasulullah .” ‘Aas sarcastically enquired: “Will I be
resurrected after my death?” Khabbaab  replied: “Yes, of course.” To this,
‘Aas scornfully replied: “When Allah puts me to death and resurrects me once
again and I have the same wealth and children in my possession, I will settle my
debt with you.”
Upon this, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verses of the Holy Qur-aan:
‫ﺣ ٰﻤﻦ‬ ْ ‫ ؕ﴾ اﻃﻠﻊ اﻟْﻐ ۡﻴﺐ ام اﺗﺨﺬ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ اﻟﺮ‬۷۷﴿ ‫ا‬ ً ‫ﺎﻻ و و‬ ً

‫ﲔﻣ‬ ‫ﻛ ﻔﺮ ﺑ ٰﺎ ٰﻳﺘﻨﺎ وﻗﺎل ﻻ ۡوﺗ‬
ۡ
‫اﻓﺮءﻳ ۡﺖ‬
‫ا\ي‬
ْ
ۡ ٗ ً ْ ٗ ‫ ﺳﻨﻜﺘﺐ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻘ ۡﻮل وﻧﻤﺪ‬MN‫ۙ﴾ ﻛ ﻼ‬۷۸﴿ ‫ﻋ ۡﻬ ًﺪا‬
‫ۙ﴾ و ﻧﺮﺛﻪ ﻣﺎ ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮ ل وﻳﺎﺗ ۡﻴﻨﺎ ﻓ ْﺮدًا‬۷۹﴿ ‫ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌ ﺬاب ﻣ ﺪا‬u

﴾۸۰﴿
“Did you behold the one who denies our signs and says: ‘I will certainly be bestowed
with wealth and children (in the hereafter).’ Is he conscious of the unseen or has he
taken a covenant from Allah? Never! We will record what he says (as a form of
evidence against him in the hereafter) and We will persist in prolonging his torment
(in the hereafter). And We shall inherit all what he speaks of (wealth and children)
and he will appear before us alone.” [Surah Maryam verses 77-80]
Abu Fukayhah Juhani 
Abu Fukayhah was actually his title. His name was Yasaar although he was better
known by his title of Abu Fukayhah. He was the slave of Safwaan bin Umayyah.
Umayyah bin Khalaf would sometimes get a rope tied to his feet and pitilessly drag
him around. At times, he would shackle his feet with leg irons and force him to lie
face down on the scorching sand with a huge boulder placed on his back. This was
so agonizing that he often fell unconscious. Sometimes he would viciously throttle
him.
One day Umayyah bin Khalaf had him pinned to the scorching ground and he
was busy throttling him when Umayyah bin Khalaf’s brother Ubayy bin Khalaf
happened to pass by. Instead of this heartless man taking pity on him, he urged his
brother to throttle him even more. He throttled him so ruthlessly that people
thought he was no more. Fortunately Abu Bakr  happened to pass that way.
He purchased Abu Fukayhah  and set him free.
Zanirah 
Hadhrat Zanirah  was amongst the first group of women to embrace Islam.
She was the slave of Hadhrat ‘Umar . (Before he embraced Islam), ‘Umar
would relentlessly beat her until he himself would be exhausted. Abu Jahal also
harassed her a great deal. Whenever Abu Jahal and the other chieftains of Makkah
caught sight of Zanirah , they would scornfully say: “If Islam was an
admirable religion and if it was something grand, people like Zanirah would not
have beaten us to it.”
In reaction to this, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse:
ۤ ۡ ْ ۡ ٰ ۡ ‫ﻳ‬¹
MN‫ﲑا ﻣﺎ ﺳﺒ ﻘ ۡﻮﻧﺎ اﻟ ۡﻴﻪ‬
ً ‫ﻛﺎن ﺧ‬ ‫ﻛ ﻔﺮ ۡوا ﻟ‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ‬
‫ﺎل‬
‫ﻦ ا ﻣ ﻨﻮا ﻟﻮ‬
‫و ﻗ‬
“And the disbelievers said to the believers: ‘If this was any good, they wouldn’t have
preceded us to it.” [Surah Ahqaaf verse 11]
They failed to realise that if they possessed any good within them they themselves
would have preceded others towards goodness and the true Deen and they would
not be hesitant to embrace the true Deen. They failed to understand that the failure
of the leaders and prosperous members of society to accept the advice of the
Ambiyaa and the acceptance of the teachings of the Ambiyaa by these ascetics
whose hearts are uncontaminated by the love of wealth and power, is undeniably
not proof of the truth being false. In fact it is a glaring proof of the pride, arrogance
and haughtiness of those who reject this Deen. That the poor and weak readily
accept the truth is no dishonour to the truth but by them accepting the truth they
raise themselves from the gutters of wretchedness and secure the lofty pinnacles of
honour. On the other hand, by refuting the truth, the rich and influential leaders
debase and demean themselves in the eyes of the men of insight. Yes, if the rich
and influential are not reluctant in accepting the truth – like Abu Bakr, ‘Usmaan
Ghani and ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  - then this adds additional lustre to
the gleam of their nobility and honour.
Due to these relentless ordeals, Hadhrat Zanirah  lost her eyesight. The
disbelievers of Makkah claimed that their idols, Laat and ‘Uzza, rendered her blind.
In response to this claim, Hadhrat Zanirah  told these disbelievers: “Laat and
‘Uzza are not even aware of who worships them. This tragedy (of my blindness)
was destined by none other than Allah Ta’ala. If He wishes, He will restore my
eyesight.” Look at the marvel of Allah Ta’ala, the very next morning she awoke
with her eyesight restored. Upon this, the disbelievers of Makkah remarked:
“Muhammad () has cast a spell of black magic over her.” Eventually,
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  purchased her and set her free.
Similarly, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  is said to have purchased a number of
slaves – male and female – and subsequently set them free. Thus he rescued a
Chapter 6 95
number of victims of oppressive brutality. Some of these liberated slaves were Bilal,
Abu Fukayhah, ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah, Zanirah, Nahdiyyah, Nahdiyyah’s daughter,
Labinah, Mutiyyah and Abu ‘Ubais .
Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s  father Abu Quhaafah had not as yet embraced
Islam. One day, he told Abu Bakr : “I observe you purchasing only the weak
and feeble slaves and then liberating them. If you purchase and free strong and
robust slaves they will at least be of some use to you.” Abu Bakr  replied:
“The motive for setting them free is within my heart.” Upon this, Allah Ta’ala
revealed the following verses:
ْ
ْ ْ
0ٰ ‫اﺳﺘﻐ‬ ‫ﻞو‬ ‫ﺨ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ H ‫ ؕ﴾ و اﻣﺎ ﻣ‬۷﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺴﻨ'ﺴﺮ ٗه ﻟ ْﻠ' ْﺴ ٰﺮي‬۶﴿ 0ٰ ‫ ۙ﴾ و ﺻﺪق ﺑﺎﻟﺤ ْﺴ‬۵﴿ ‫ﻦ ا ْﻋ ٰﻄﻲ و اﺗ ٰﻘﻲ‬ ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﻣﺎ ﻣ‬

ۤٗ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ ؕ﴾ ا ن ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻨﺎ‬۱۱﴿ ‫ ا ذا ﺗﺮ ٰ دي‬u‫ﺎ‬ ‫ ﻋﻨ ﻪ ﻣ‬0 ‫ ؕ﴾ و ﻣﺎ ﻳﻐ‬۱۰﴿ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺴ ﻨ' ﺴﺮ ٗه ﻟﻠﻌ ْﺴ ٰﺮي‬۹﴿ 0ٰ ‫ﻛ ﺬب ﺑﺎﻟﺤ ْﺴ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ و‬۸﴿

ْ ْ ۤ ْ ‫﴾ ﻻ ﻳ‬۱۴ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺎرا ﺗﻠ ٰﻈﻲ‬ ْ ‫ ﴾ ﻓﺎﻧ ۡﺬ‬۱۳﴿ ٰ ‫اﻻ ۡو‬ ْ ْٰ ٰ ‫ﻟ ْﻠﻬ‬
﴾ۙ۱۵﴿ ‫ﺼﻠٰ» ﻬﺎ ا ﻻ اﻻﺷ ﻘﻲ‬ ً ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻧ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ة‬‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ﻼ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ﴾ª ۱۲ ﴿
N ‫ي‬ ‫ﺪ‬

ۡ ‫﴾ و ﻣﺎ ﻻﺣﺪ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ ٗه ﻣ‬۱۸ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻲ‬X‫ ﻳﺘﺰ‬u‫ﺎ‬ ٰ ْ ْ ٰ
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻣ‬G
ٗ ۡ ‫ي ﻳ ْﺆ‬ ۡ \‫ا‬ ﴾ۙ۱۷﴿ ‫ ؕ﴾ و ﺳﻴﺠ ﻨﺒﻬﺎ اﻻﺗ ﻘﻲ‬۱۶﴿ ‫ﻛ ﺬب و ﺗﻮ‬ ۡ
ٍ
‫ا\ي‬
ْ ْ ْ ‫ۙ﴾ ا ﻻ اﺑْﺘﻐﺂء و‬۱۹﴿ ‫ﺠ ﺰي‬ ْ ْ
‫﴾ و ﻟﺴ ْﻮ ف ﻳ ْﺮ ٰﺿﻲ‬۲۰ۚ ﴿ ¤ٰ ‫ﺟﻪ ر ﺑ ٖﻪ اﻻﻋ‬ ‫ﻧﻌ ﻤ ٍﺔ ﺗ‬

“As for him who gives (in charity) and maintains Allah-consciousness, and believes
in the best (i.e. the religion of Islam), We will grant him the divine ability for the
pathway of ease (i.e. virtuous deeds that may lead him towards Jannah). And as for
him who is miserly and indifferent (and regards himself self-sufficient) and he
disbelieves in the best (i.e. the religion of Islam), We will make easy for him the
pathway of evil. And his wealth will not avail him when he goes down (in
destruction). Verily, in our power alone lies guidance. And truly, to Us belongs the
last (the hereafter) and the first (this world). So I am warning you of a blazing fire.
None shall enter it except the most wretched who disbelieves and turns away. And
the most Allah-conscious person would be far removed from it (the fire), the one
who spends his wealth to purify it, and who has no favour to be returned to anyone
except to seek the pleasure of his Lord, the most exalted. He will surely be pleased
(when he enters paradise).” [Surah Layl verses 5-21]
It is unanimously agreed that the aforementioned verses were revealed with
regards to Abu Bakr Siddeeq  wherein he is referred to as “Al-Atqaa”, in
other words, the most devout and the most Allah-fearing person. The verse in
Surah Hujuraat reads:
ْٰ ۡ ْ
MN‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻋﻨ ﺪ اﷲ اﺗﻘ‬
‫ا ن اﻛﺮ ﻣ‬

“Verily, the most noble of you (in the eyes of Allah Ta’ala) are those amongst you
who are most Allah-conscious.” [Surah Hujuraat verse 13]
This clearly indicates that in this Ummah, the most devout person in the sight of
Allah Ta’ala after Rasulullah  is the personage of Abu Bakr Siddeeq
. After Rasulullah , he is the most virtuous person. From the very
inception of Islam he sacrificed his life and his wealth for Islam and regularly
purchased and freed a great number of slaves. It is said that in the first thirteen
years he spent a capital amount of nothing less than forty thousand Dirhams for
the benefit of Islam and the Muslims. Whatever was left over was spent in Hijrat
and for the purchase of the land for the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi. When he
had not a stitch of clothing left, he wrapped a blanket over himself and appearing
before Rasulullah  declared: “I am extremely pleased with my Lord.”
In a nutshell, the Quraysh left no stone unturned in their persecution of the
Muslims. They suspended them from the tree-tops, sometimes they tied their feet
and pitilessly dragged them about. They even placed heated iron bars on their
backs and stomachs. The disbelievers did all sorts of vile things to them but not one
of them wavered a notch from the true Deen. They died tolerating these agonising
hardships but they did not digress from Islam. May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with
them and may they be pleased with Him.
These were people who were either held in servitude by their masters or they
were foreigners residing in Makkah. However, even those who enjoyed family
honour and social esteem were not spared from the brutal victimisation of the
disbelievers. Some of them are as follows:
1. When Hadhrat ‘Usmaan Ghani  embraced Islam, his uncle Haakim bin
Abul-’Aas tied him up with a rope and in an attempt to terrify him bellowed at
him: “You have the audacity to renounce the creed of your forefathers and
embrace a new religion!” To this Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  replied: “By Allah! I
will never ever forsake this Deen and I will certainly not abandon it.” When
his uncle Haakim realised how steadfast and committed he was to this Deen,
he released him.
2. When Hadhrat Zubair bin ‘Awwaam  embraced Islam, his uncle
wrapped him in a sack and subjected him to incessant palls of smoke. He left
no stone unturned in an attempt to compel him to return to Kufr but Hadhrat
Zubair bin ‘Awwaam  would utter: “Never! I will certainly not go back
to Kufr.”
3. When Hadhrat ‘Umar’s  brother-in-law, who was also his cousin, Sa’eed
bin Zaid embraced Islam, Hadhrat ‘Umar  tied him up with ropes.
Chapter 6 97
4. When Khaalid bin Sa‘eed bin ’Aas embraced Islam, his father subjected him to
such a bashing that he suffered serious head injuries. His father also deprived
him of all meals.
5. When Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and Hadhrat Talhah  accepted Islam,
Nafal bin Khuwaylid – who was celebrated as ‘the lion of the Quraysh’ – got
hold of both of them and tied them up with one rope. This is why Abu Bakr
and Talhah were referred to as Qarnain. (In other words, two people yoked
together with a single rope.)
6. When Waleed bin Waleed, ‘Ayyaash bin Rabi’ah and Salamah bin Hishaam
embraced Islam, the disbelievers of Makkah put them through such pitiless
hardships that they did not even allow these people to migrate. At least this
migration would have brought them some respite from their difficulties.
Whilst in Madinah Munawwarah, in the Fajr Salaah, Rasulullah 
continued making dua for their safe release from the clutches of the Makkan
disbelievers. He would plead with Allah: “O Allah! Liberate Waleed bin
Waleed, ‘Ayyaash bin Rabi’ah and Salamah bin Hishaam from the tyrannical
clutches of the disbelievers.”
7. When Hadhrat Abu Zarr Ghifaari  embraced Islam and publicly
proclaimed his conversion in the midst of the Masjidul-Haraam, the
disbelievers gave him such a beating that he fell unconscious to the ground.
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  rescued him from their clutches.
The Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon

ْ ۡ ْ
﴾۱﴿ ‫اﻟﺴﺎﻋ ﺔ و ا` ﺸ ﻖ اﻟ ﻘ ﻤﺮ‬
‫اﻗ ﱰﺑﺖ‬

“The hour has dawned and the moon has split asunder.” [Surah Qamar, verse 1]
Approximately five years prior to the migration to Madinah, the disbelievers of
Makkah approached Rasulullah . Amongst them were Waleed bin
Mughirah, ‘Aas bin Waa’il, ‘Aas bin Hishaam, Aswad bin ‘Abdi Yaghuth, Aswad
bin Muttalib, Zam‘ah bin Aswad, Nadr bin Haaris, etc. They challenged Rasulullah
 to exhibit some sign that would corroborate the authenticity of his
prophethood. According to some narrations, they demanded that he split the moon
into two parts to demonstrate the legitimacy of his claim. They challenged him at
night when the fourteenth moon was shining in all its glory. Rasulullah 
replied: “Fine, if I exhibit this miracle, would you embrace Islam?” “Surely,” they
replied, “We would certainly believe in you.” Rasulullah  then implored
Allah Ta’ala and thereafter directed his blessed finger towards the moon. The
moment he pointed towards the moon, it split into two; one part towards Mt. Abu
Qubais and the other towards Mt. Qayqa‘an. For quite a while, people were left
dumbfounded staring at this incredible sight. Some of them were so astounded that
they repeatedly wiped their eyes with their clothing and gaped at the moon only to
discover that it really was in two parts. Rasulullah  continued prompting
them: “Ish-hadoo! Bear witness: Bear witness!” The moon remained like this for a
duration of time equivalent to the time between ‘Asr and Maghrib. It subsequently
reverted to its original condition. In disgust, the disbelievers of Makkah exclaimed:
“Nay, Muhammad! You have cast a wizardly spell over all of us. Wait for some
travellers coming into Makkah from the outer regions. Ask them about this miracle
because it is not possible for Muhammad to cast his spell over everybody. If they
testify to this miraculous sighting, then consider Muhammad to be genuine and if
they say that they have not witnessed any sighting of this nature, then consider
yourselves bewitched by his sorcery.” Nonetheless, a number of travellers were
asked about this. Travellers from every direction testified that they had seen the
moon split into two.
In spite of their own sighting and the testimony of others, these obstinate
individuals refused to accept Imaan saying: “This is enduring sorcery.” In other
words, very soon, the effects of it will wear away. Upon this, the following verses
were revealed:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ
﴾۲﴿ ‫ﺿ ۡﻮا و ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮﻟ ۡﻮا ﺳﺤ ٌﺮ ﻣ ْﺴﺘﻤ ٌﺮ‬
‫﴾ و ان ﻳﺮ ْوا ٰاﻳ ًﺔ ﻳﻌﺮ‬۱﴿ ‫اﻟﺴﺎﻋ ﺔ و ا` ﺸ ﻖ اﻟ ﻘ ﻤﺮ‬ ‫ﺖ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﱰ‬ ‫اﻗ‬

“The hour has dawned and the moon has split asunder. And if they witness any
sign, they turn away and say: ‘enduring sorcery’.” [Surah Qamar, verse 1 -2]
The Miracle of the Return of the Sun

From amongst the prominent miracles of Rasulullah , one of them is the
return of the sun, in other words, the re-emergence of the sun after sunset. Hadhrat
Asma bint ‘Umais  relates: “Rasulullah  was in a place called Sahba
near Khaybar. He was resting with his head on Ali’s  lap. Hadhrat Ali 
had not as yet performed his ‘Asr Salaah when Wahi (divine revelation) started
streaming forth. The descent of revelation continued until sunset. Rasulullah
 enquired from Hadhrat Ali  if he had performed his ‘Asr Salaah.
When he replied in the negative, Rasulullah  raised his hands in dua and
beseeched Allah Ta’ala: “O Allah! Ali was in the submission of Your Rasool. I beg
You to return the sun so that he may perform his ‘Asr Salaah on time.”
Hadhrat Asma  continues: “After sunset, the sun re-emerged with its
rays falling on the earth and the mountains.”
Chapter 6 99
The Miracle of the Halting of the Sun

This miracle (of the halting of the sun) occurred in Makkah Mukarramah. When
Rasulullah  returned from Mi’raaj, he informed the Quraysh of some of
the details of this journey. The Quraysh insisted he recount a few specific details
about Baitul-Maqdis. They even asked him about one of their trade caravans which
had journeyed to Syria, (that since he claims that he went to Syria) when was it
expected to return to Makkah. Rasulullah  replied: “The caravan is
expected to enter Makkah on Wednesday." As Wednesday was drawing to a close
and the sun was about to set, the disbelievers caused a huge uproar. At that
moment Rasulullah  made dua. Allah Ta’ala halted the sun at that point
until the caravan entered the city of Makkah. In this manner, Allah Ta’ala further
verified the credibility of Rasulullah .
The First Migration to Abyssinia

When the disbelievers noticed that day-by-day more and more people are entering
the fold of Islam and the sphere of Islam is growing progressively larger, they
unanimously resolved to step up their persecution of the Muslims. In this manner,
they started to systematically harass the Muslims in an all-out bid to force them to
renounce Islam. Rasulullah  then advised the Sahaabah  thus:
ّٰ
¯‫ سيجمعكم قالوا ا¯ اين نذهب قال ا‬4‫رض فان ا‬O‫تفرقوا ف ا‬
‫هنا و اشار بيده ا¯ ارض البشه‬
“Spread out onto the earth. Soon Allah Ta’ala would assemble all of you.” They
enquired: “Where should we go to?” Rasulullah  indicated with his hand
towards the land of Habshah (Abyssinia).
Rasulullah  also informed them that a king, in whose territory nobody is
oppressed by another, rules this land.
The Sahaabah  did not wish to flee because of their physical persecution
or because of their external agony but because they were distressed by the spiritual
turmoil of disbelief and polytheism and in order to protect themselves from the
oppressive opposition to Deen and Imaan, thus they fled towards Allah Ta’ala.
Their purpose of emigration was to take the name of Allah Ta’ala in peace and
tranquillity.
In the month of Rajab in the fifth year of prophethood a small group of men
and women made the first Hijrah towards Abyssinia. They were:
Men:
1. ‘Usmaan bin Affaan 
2. Abu Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah 
3. Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdul Asad 
4. ‘Aamir bin Rabi’ah 
5. Abu Sabrah bin Abu Rahm ‘Aamiri 
6. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf 
7. Zubair bin ‘Awwaam 
8. Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair 
9. ‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon 
10. Suhail bin Bayda 
11. Haatib bin ‘Amr 
Women:
1. Ruqayyah , the daughter of Rasulullah  and the wife of
‘Usmaan .
2. Sahlah bint Suhail , the wife of Abu Huzaifah 
3. Umme Salamah bint Abu Umayyah , the wife of Abu Salamah .
She married Rasulullah  after the death of Abu Salamah 
gaining the title of mother of the believers.
4. Layla bint Abi Hathamah , the wife of ‘Aamir bin Rabi’ah 
5. Umme Kulsoom bint Suhail bin ‘Amr , the wife of Abu Sabrah bin Abu
Rahm 
These eleven men and five women secretly slipped out of Makkah. Some of them
were mounted whilst the others were on foot. To their good fortune, when they
landed at the port (of Jeddah), two merchant ships were on the point of setting sail
to Abyssinia. For a fare of just five dirhams, they took all of them on board. When
the disbelievers of Makkah got wind of their stealthy departure from Makkah, they
despatched their people to hunt them down. By the time these trackers reached the
port, the ships had already set sail. These emigrants boarded ship from the coast of
Jeddah.
Chapter 6 101
They settled in Abyssinia from Rajab right up to Shawwaal. In Shawwaal they

got word of the people of Makkah embracing Islam. So they all set off for Makkah.
As they drew close to Makkah, they learnt that the information they received was
only a rumour. This threw all of them into an agonising dilemma. Some of them
secretly slipped into Makkah whilst others entered the city under the protection of
someone or the other.
The Second Migration to Abyssinia

The disbelievers started harassing the Muslims even more than ever. This is why
Rasulullah  permitted a second migration towards Abyssinia.
When the Quraysh realised that the Sahaabah  were quite at ease in
Abyssinia and they were peacefully adhering to the tenets of Islam, the Quraysh
held an urgent meeting. At this meeting they resolved to appoint ‘Amr bin Aas and
‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah as their representatives to Negus, the emperor of
Abyssinia. The assembly resolved to despatch these two emissaries with gifts and
presents to Negus and his ministers to try and win them over.
Accordingly, ‘Amr bin ‘Aas and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah landed in
Abyssinia and to start with, they offered their gifts to Negus’ consorts and
confidants. They appealed to them saying: “A few foolish and immature fugitives
of our city have renounced their ancestral religion and taken refuge in your city. In
fact, they abandoned their ancestral religion not in favour of your religion of
Christianity but they have opted for an entirely new religion, of which, neither of
us are aware. The leaders of our clan have commissioned us to request the emperor
to hand them over to us. We plead with you to intercede to the emperor on our
behalf to hand them over to us without discussion and deliberation.” Nonetheless,
after presenting their gifts and pleading their case before the courtiers, the Makkan
emissaries received overwhelming support. ‘Amr bin ‘Aas and ‘Abdullah bin Abi
Rabi’ah were not in favour of the emperor summoning the Sahaabah  and
speaking to them. They did not want the emperor to give the Sahaabah  a
fair hearing.
The readers can very well imagine why they were averse to the emperor
interviewing and speaking to the Sahaabah  and why they wanted the
emperor to hand them over without any form of investigation and discussion. The
reason is quite obvious; they very well knew that the moment the truth left their
tongues, it would entrench itself into the heart.
In short, these emissaries pleaded their case before the emperor whilst the
courtiers conveyed their overwhelming support in favour of surrendering the
Sahaabah  to these people, but what they dreaded is exactly what happened.
The emperor was thrown into a rage. He made it clear to them that he is unable to
hand them over without proper investigation and without speaking to them. He
said: “How can I, without any form of formal investigation, surrender to their
enemies those who have sought refuge in my kingdom?” He then sent one of his
messengers to summon the Sahaabah . When the messenger conveyed the
royal summons, a Sahaabi alarmingly asked: “What would you say when you are
in the emperor’s court?” (In other words, the emperor is a Christian whilst we are
Muslims. We clash on a number of fundamental beliefs.) Another Sahaabi
confidently said: “In the imperial court, we will say whatever our Nabi 
has taught us and we will do as he had coached us. We will not breach his
instructions.”
Nonetheless, when they landed at the imperial court, they made do with
Salaam only instead of the customary prostration before the emperor. The royal
courtiers were naturally quite enraged at the Muslims by this apparent disregard
for royal etiquette. The courtiers at once challenged the Muslims and asked: “Why
didn’t you bow down before the majestic presence of the emperor?” According to
another narration, the emperor himself asked why they failed to bow down before
him. Hadhrat Ja’far  replied: “We do not bow down before anyone other than
Allah. Allah Ta’ala has sent a messenger to us and he instructed us not to prostrate
to anyone but Allah.” The other Muslims added: “We Muslims greet Rasulullah
 also in this manner with Salaam only. Our Rasool  also
informed us that the inhabitants of Jannah would greet each other in a similar
manner with Salaam. As for prostrating before anyone, Allah Ta’ala forbid, how
can we prostrate before you and equate you with Allah?”
Addressing the Muslims, Negus then enquired: “Apart from idol-worship and
Christianity, what other faith did you adopt?” In response to the emperor’s enquiry,
Hadhrat Ja’far  got to his feet to address the court on behalf of the Sahaabah
.
The Inspirational Sermon of Ja’far  in the Court of Negus
“O emperor! All of us were ignorant. We would worship idols and devour carrion.
We were immersed in a host of vices. We would cut off family relationships and ill-
treat our neighbours. The powerful amongst us would oppress the weak. Whilst we
were wallowing within such an abyss of spiritual decadence, Allah Ta’ala favoured
us with one of His messengers whose noble lineage, truthfulness, honesty and
chastity we are fully aware of. He ordered us to worship Allah Ta’ala and believe
in Him alone. He instructed us to devote ourselves to the sole worship of Allah
Ta’ala and to renounce the idols we and our forefathers used to revere. He charged
us to speak the truth, be honest, maintain favourable family ties and good
neighbourly relations and to abstain from bloodshed and other prohibitions. He
also prevented us from immorality, falsehood, devouring the wealth of orphans and
from falsely slandering a chaste woman. He commanded us to worship Allah
Ta’ala Alone without ascribing any partners unto Him. He enjoined us to perform
Chapter 6 103
Salaah, pay Zakaat and observe fasting. In short, we should not be hesitant with
our lives and wealth in the path of Allah Ta’ala.”
Enumerating a number of other Islamic injunctions, Hadhrat Ja’far 
ultimately said: “So we believe in him and we have faith in him. And we have
adhered to whatever he has conveyed to us from Allah Ta’ala. We worship Allah
alone and we do not ascribe any partner unto Him. We do what is Halaal and we
abstain from Haraam. Because of this, our people have started to harass us. They
have subjected us to numerous forms of mistreatment in a bid to force us to
renounce the worship of Allah Ta’ala and revert to our former days of
shamelessness. When we were unable to bear their ruthless persecution any longer
and the worship of Allah Ta’ala and adherence to His Deen became somewhat
difficult, we decided to emigrate with the hope that you would not oppress us. We
gave preference to your neighbourliness over everything else.”
Negus asked: “Do you remember any part of the divine word your Messenger
has brought from Allah Ta’ala?” When Hadhrat Ja’far replied in the affirmative,
Negus requested him to recite a portion of it. Hadhrat Ja’far  commenced
reciting the opening verses of Surah Maryam. The emperor and all his courtiers
were unable to contain themselves. They started weeping profusely so much so that
the emperor’s beard was drenched in tears. (It appears that the emperor had a beard
and this is also the way of all the Ambiyaa. Not a single Nabi ever shaved his
beard. Keeping a beard is a distinctive Sunnah of all the Ambiyaa .)
When Hadhrat Ja’far  terminated his recitation, the emperor exclaimed:
“These words and the words imparted by ‘Isa  are of the same spiritual
order.” He then bluntly addressed the Qurayshi delegation saying: “I will neither
surrender these people to you nor is there a remote possibility of me doing so.”
When ‘Amr bin ‘Aas and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah emerged terribly
unproductive from the imperial court, ‘Amr bin ‘Aas confidently declared:
“Tomorrow I will once more present my case before the king and I will make such
an effective claim that the emperor will annihilate them all.” ‘Abdullah bin Abi
Rabi’ah pleaded: “Don’t ever do something that would put their lives in danger.
They are, after all, our own flesh and blood. These are our relatives even though we
are poles apart as far as our religion is concerned.” But ‘Amr bin ‘Aas was
adamant. He did not bother with ‘Abdullah’s plea. On the following day, ‘Amr bin
‘Aas presented himself once again in the imperial court and said: “O Emperor!
These people express somewhat offensive words in regards to ‘Isa .” The
emperor summoned the Sahaabah  yet again. The Sahaabah  were
pretty distraught by this sudden turn of events. When one of the Sahaabah 
asked what they would say about ‘Isa , all of them unanimously pledged that
they will say precisely what Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool  said. They
would not waver on this subject.
When they reached the imperial court, the emperor addressed the Muslims
saying: “What is your opinion about ‘Isa ? Hadhrat Ja’far  replied:
“Our view is precisely the same as our Prophet’s  view; Hadhrat ‘Isa
 was a servant and a Prophet of Allah. He was the Ruh (soul) and Kalimah
(word) of Allah.” Upon this account, emperor Negus picked up a particle from the
ground and raising it said: “By Allah! Whatever the Muslims have professed, ‘Isa
 is nothing more than that, not even to the extent of this particle.”
This proclamation really threw the courtiers into dismay. All of them wrinkled
their brows in displeasure but Emperor Negus was not bothered in the least. He
told them in no uncertain terms that you may frown in displeasure as much as you
like but this is the reality. He then addressed the Muslims: “You may live here in
absolute peace. I would not want to harass you even after procuring a mountain of
gold (from your enemies).” He then bade his courtiers to return the gifts of the
Quraysh saying: “I have no need for their offerings. By Allah! Allah has blessed me
with power and empire without bribery of any sort. So I will definitely not accept
any bribery and hand the Muslims over to you.”
This signalled the end of the royal assembly. The Muslims emerged from the
court delighted and in high spirits whilst the Qurayshi delegation left the court in
shame and dejection.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrated that Negus’s father was the emperor of
Abyssinia. He had no other son besides Negus whilst the emperor’s brother i.e.
Negus’s uncle had twelve sons. Once, some of the citizens of Abyssinia were struck
with a rather weird idea. They reasoned that since Negus is the only son of his
father and the emperor’s brother i.e. Negus’s uncle has a number of children, we
should assassinate the current emperor and install his brother on the throne. They
felt that since he has a number of children, the reign of power would persist in the
same family for a much longer period of time. Accordingly, they assassinated him
and installed his brother as the next emperor. Negus fell into the custody of his
uncle, the present emperor. Negus was exceptionally bright and intelligent. This is
why nobody else enjoyed such status in the eyes of the emperor as he did, so much
so that Negus was seen to be taking charge in virtually all the affairs of the
kingdom. The citizens of Abyssinia were perturbed at his intelligence, which they
imagined would drive him to seek revenge for the assassination of his father. This
is why they tried to influence the emperor to kill him. The emperor retorted:
“Yesterday you killed his father and today you wish to kill him. It is not possible
for me to meet your demands. Yes, the most I can do is to expel him from here and
separate him from us.” The people agreed to this proposal. The emperor
subsequently sold Negus off to a merchant for six hundred Dirhams. The trader
took possession of him and set off. The same evening the emperor was fatally
struck by lightning. Now the public was left in turmoil. Who should they appoint
as their next emperor? None of the twelve sons seemed appropriate for this task.
All twelve of them, from the eldest to the youngest, were foolish and immature.
Some people voiced their opinion that if you really wish to be successful, bring
Negus back and elect him as your next ruler. People scampered in all directions in
search for the merchant who purchased him. They managed to retrieve him from
Chapter 6 105
the merchant and installed him as the new emperor. Once he assumed the role of
emperor, the merchant returned demanding compensation. Negus returned his six
hundred Dirhams to him.”
Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  says: “It was a reference to this
incident when Negus addressed the Qurayshi emissaries saying: ‘Allah has blessed
me with power and empire without bribery of any sort’.
Subsequent to this royal proclamation, the Muhaajireen (emigrants) settled
down in Abyssinia with ease and tranquillity. When Rasulullah 
migrated to Madinah Munawwarah, most of them left Abyssinia and headed for
Madinah. Twenty-four of them took part in the battle of Badr. The remaining
Muhaajireen left Abyssinia for Madinah in the company of Hadhrat Ja’far  in
the seventh year of Hijrah around the time of the conquest of Khaybar.
Three questions of Ja’far  to the Qurayshi delegates
Hadhrat Ja’far  said to emperor Negus: “I have a few questions for these
people. I request you to ask them to respond to my questions.
1. Are we slaves who have absconded from their masters? If we are slaves, then
indeed we deserve to be returned to our masters.
When Negus asked ‘Amr bin Aas if these people were slaves, he replied: “No!
They are not slaves but free and noble.”
2. Hadhrat Ja’far  addressed the king: “Ask them if we have fled after
murdering someone? If we killed someone unlawfully, you may promptly
surrender us to the custody of the victim’s guardians.”
Negus addressed ‘Amr bin ‘Aas:
‫هل اهرقوا دما بغي حقه‬

“Did these people unlawfully shed anyone’s blood before they fled here?”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas replied:
‫قطرة من دم‬O
“No! Not a single drop of blood.”
3. Hadhrat Ja’far  asked the emperor to ask them: “Have we fled after
usurping someone’s wealth? Suppose we are guilty of usurping someone’s
wealth, we are prepared to reimburse him.”
Emperor Negus addressed ‘Amr bin ‘Aas saying: “If these people fled after
illicitly seizing someone’s wealth, I am accountable and answerable for it. I
stand as guarantor for all penalties as well.”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas replied: “They have not usurped a single Qiraat (cent).”
The emperor then accosted the Qurayshi emissaries saying: “Then what are your
demands?”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas replied: “All of us were adherents of the same religion. Now
these people have renounced their own religion and assumed a totally novel
religion.”
Addressing the Sahaabah , the emperor asked: “What was the religion
you renounced and what is this new religion you have adopted?”
Hadhrat Ja’far  replied:
ّٰ
4‫اما الي كنا عليه فدين الشيطان وامر الشيطان نكفر با‬
ّٰ
‫ عزوجل نبك‬4‫ونعبد الجارة واما الي نن عليه فدين ا‬
ّٰ
‫ كما بعث ا¯ الين من قبلنا فاتانا‬O‫ بعث النا رسو‬4‫ان ا‬
‫وثان فصدقنا وامنا به‬O‫بالصدق والب ونهانا عن عبادة ا‬
‫واتبعناه فلما فعلنا ذلك عدانا قومنا وارادوا قتل الب الصادق‬
‫وثان ففررنا الك بديننا ودمائنا ولوا قرنا‬O‫و ردنا ف عبادة ا‬
‫ستقررنا فذلك خبنا‬O ‫قومنا‬
“As for our previous religion, it was the creed of shaytaan and the mandate of
shaytaan. It was a creed wherein we disbelieved in Allah Ta’ala and worshipped
stones. As for the religion we have now adopted, it is the religion of Allah Ta’ala.
Allah Ta’ala sent a Messenger to us as He had sent prophets and divine messengers
to those before us. This Prophet appeared before us with truthfulness and virtue and
he forbade us from idol-worship. So we placed our faith in him and believed in
everything he said. We have become his true adherents. As a result of this, our
people turned against us in hostile enmity. They wish to slay this truthful Prophet
and they expect us to return to idol-worship. So we fled with our religion and lives
towards you. Had our people allowed us to remain within our native land, we would
have remained. This is our story.”
Chapter 6 107
When Hadhrat Ja’far  and his companions ultimately decided to leave

Abyssinia for Madinah, emperor Negus bore all their travel costs and supplied
them with provisions for the journey as well. Furthermore, he presented them with
a number of gifts and he sent a messenger along with them saying: “Kindly inform
Rasulullah  about my conduct with you. Also notify him that I bear
testimony that there is none worthy of worship save Allah and I also bear
testimony that you are His Messenger. I also plead with you to seek forgiveness
from Allah Ta’ala on my behalf.”
Hadhrat Ja’far  relates: “We left Abyssinia and headed towards
Madinah. When we reached the presence of Rasulullah , he hugged me
and remarked: ‘I wonder if the conquest of Khaybar has brought me more joy or
the arrival of Ja’far has brought me more joy.’
Rasulullah  then took a seat. The messenger of Negus stood up and
said: ‘(O Prophet of Allah Ta’ala!) Here Ja’far is right before you. Ask him how our
emperor had treated him.’ Hadhrat Ja’far replied: ‘No doubt, Negus gave us a warm
welcome. He treated us in such and such manner. In fact, when we decided to
depart from Abyssinia, he provided us with conveyances and provisions for the
journey. He offered us his constant assistance. He also testified that there is none
worthy of worship save Allah and he testified that you are the Messenger of Allah.
He also requests that you make dua of forgiveness in his favour.’”
Rasulullah  instantly got to his feet, performed wudhu and recited
the following dua thrice:
ّٰ
‫اللهم اغفر للنجاش‬
“O Allah! Forgive Najaashi (Negus).”
The Muslims uttered Aameen upon this dua.
Hadhrat Ja’far  relates: “I requested the emperor’s messenger to describe
whatever he has witnessed about Rasulullah  to his emperor on his
return to Abyssinia.”
Islam of ‘Umar bin Khattaab  - 6th year of Prophethood
The actual cause of Hadhrat ‘Umar’s  conversion to Islam was the dua of
Rasulullah .
Initially Rasulullah  would make dua (secretly) as follows: “O Allah!
Boost the honour of Islam with either Abu Jahal or ‘Umar bin Khattaab, whoever is
most dear to You.”
Ibn ‘Asaakir says that subsequently, Rasulullah  was enlightened by
divine revelation that Abu Jahal would certainly not embrace Islam. So he made
dua exclusively for Hadhrat ‘Umar  in the following words:
ً
‫م بعمر بن الطاب خاصة‬K‫س‬O‫اللهم ايد ا‬
“O Allah! Strengthen Islam particularly with ‘Umar bin Khattaab.”
In short, the actual cause of ‘Umar’s  conversion to Islam was the magnetic
dua of Rasulullah . As for the external cause of his conversion, it is what
he himself narrates.
Hadhrat ‘Umar  relates: “In the beginning I was a bitter enemy of
Rasulullah  and I harboured a vehement loathing towards Islam.”
,
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“In this world, ‘Umar’s name was amongst the idolaters but in the realm of the
souls, his name was inscribed amongst the Mumineen.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  narrates: “Abu Jahal publicly proclaimed that he guaranteed
to confer one hundred camels in prize money to whoever killed Muhammad. I went
directly to Abu Jahal enquiring whether this guarantee was genuine or not. When
he replied in the affirmative, I set out with my sword in quest of Muhammad’s
blood. As I was walking, I came across a calf, which some people were about to
slaughter. I also stood by to watch. Suddenly, I heard a voice coming out from the
calf’s stomach exclaiming:
‫بلسان فصيح يدعو ا¯ شهادة ان‬ ‫ح‬ْ‫ َر ُج ٌل يَ ِصي‬.‫ ا َ ْم ٌر َنيْح‬.‫يَا ا َ َل َذريْح‬

ٍ ِ ِ
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ وان ممدا رسول ا‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O
“O family of Zarih! This is a mighty successful affair. There is a man who proclaims
in an eloquent tongue. He invites people to the testimony of Laa Ilaaha Illallahu wa
Anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah.”
The moment this voice fell onto my ears I guessed that this voice is being directed
towards me. I am the addressee of this voice.
In spite of this, ‘Umar did not detract from his disgusting ambition and he
pressed on. He barely took a few steps when he met Nu‘aim bin ‘Abdullah
Nahhaam. “Where are you off to at this time of the afternoon?” he asked. "’Umar
replied: “I am on my way to eliminate Muhammad ().” Nu‘aim
commented: “Once you assassinate Muhammad (), how do you expect to
protect yourself from the families of Bani Haashim and Bani Zuhrah?” ‘Umar
furiously retorted: “It seems you too have turned Saabi (apostate). You also
renounced the religion of your ancestors!” Nu‘aim defended himself saying: “Why
are you accusing me? Don’t you know that your sister Faatimah bint Khattaab and
Chapter 6 109
your brother-in-law Sa’eed bin Zaid also turned Saabi? Have you not heard that
they also renounced your ancestral religion in favour of Islam?”
‘Umar was thrown into a rage of fury at this ‘distasteful’ news and set out at
once for his sister’s place. Hadhrat Khabbaab  who was engaged in teaching
Umar’s sister and brother-in-law, hid away the moment he heard the footsteps of
Umar.
‘Umar stormed into the house and enraged with his sister and brother-in-
law, yelled: “It seems both of you have become apostates?” His brother-in-law
replied: “Umar! Tell me, if your religion is not true whilst another religion is true,
what should one do?” The moment this statement left his lips, Umar pounced onto
him. His sister valiantly intervened to protect her husband but he struck her so
brutally that her face was left full of blood. His sister remarked: “O Son of
Khattaab! Do whatever you can. We have embraced Islam. O enemy of Allah! You
are subjecting us to this misery merely because we believe in the Oneness of Allah?
Bear in mind that we have embraced Islam in spite of your bitterness against this.”
On hearing these daring words from his sister, ‘Umar was left somewhat
embarrassed. “Okay,” he addressed his sister: “Show me the book you were reading
just now.” The instant Umar said this, Hadhrat Khabbaab , who was hiding
in a corner of the house suddenly emerged.
His sister said:
‫ المطهرون فقم فتوضأ‬O‫ يمسه ا‬O ‫انك رجس وانه‬

“You are unclean. Nobody but the pure are allowed to touch it (the Qur-aan). Go
and perform wudhu before you touch it.”
‘Umar got to his feet and either performed wudhu or ghusal. He then took hold of
the sacred writings and started reciting from Surah Taa-Haa until he reached the
verse:
ۡ ْ ۤ ٰ ‫ ۤ اﻧﺎ اﷲ ﻻ ۤ ا‬0
﴾۱۴﴿ ‫اﻟﺼﻠٰﻮ ة \ﻛﺮي‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ºN ۡ ‫ﺎﻋﺒ ْﺪ‬
6
ْ
‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻧ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ u ۡ
‫ا ﻧ‬
“Certainly I am Allah! There is no other being worthy of worship but Me. So
worship Me and establish Salaah for My remembrance.” (Surah Maryam: Verse 14)
The moment he came across this verse, he could not help but declare: “What
magnificent and gracious words!”
On hearing Umar say this, Hadhrat Khabbaab  joyously remarked: “O
Umar! Glad tidings unto you! I imagine the dua Rasulullah  made in your
favour has been accepted.” Umar  said: “O Khabbaab! Take me to Rasulullah
.”
Hadhrat Khabbaab  took Umar along and headed off in the direction of
Daarul Arqam where Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah  would
frequently congregate. The door was closed. He knocked on the door and requested
permission to enter. When the occupants gathered that Umar sought to enter, none
of them dared to open the door. However, Hadhrat Hamzah  said: “Go on,
open the door and allow him to enter. If Allah Ta’ala wishes to grace Umar with
His good fortune, He will certainly guide him towards Islam. He will embrace
Islam, adhere to the commandments of Allah Ta’ala and comply with the teachings
of Rasulullah . If he intends otherwise, you will be safe from his evil by
the will of Allah. All praises to Allah, it is no great feat for us to put Umar to the
sword.” According to another narration, Hadhrat Hamzah  said: “If Umar
comes to us with a good intention, we will also deal with him favourably but if he
has set foot here with evil intentions, we will kill him with his very own sword.”
Rasulullah  also permitted them to open the door. Hadhrat Umar
 narrates: “Once the door was thrown open, two people grasped me by the
arms and led me before Rasulullah . Rasulullah  asked them to
release me and clutching my kurtah (shirt), he drew me towards him saying: “O
son of Khattaab! Accept Islam.” Saying this, Rasulullah  made the
following dua:
ّٰ
‫اللهم اهده‬
“O Allah! Grace Umar with Your divine guidance.”
According to another narration, Rasulullah  made the following dua:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫اللهم هذا عمر بن الطاب الل ُه َّم اعز الين بعمر بن الطاب‬
“O Allah! This is Umar bin Khattaab before You. O Allah! Honour the Deen with
Umar bin Khattaab.”
He then addressed Umar  saying: “O Umar! Would you renounce (your evil)
only when Allah Ta’ala drives His humiliating punishment upon you?”
Umar  replied: “O Prophet of Allah! I have presented myself before you
to profess my faith in Allah and His Rasool  and in whatever has been
divinely revealed by Him. I bear testimony that there is none worthy of worship
but Allah and you are the messenger of Allah.”
Gripped by a wave of ecstatic joy, Rasulullah  called out Takbeer at
the top of his voice, by which all the occupants of the house realised that Umar
 had embraced Islam.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates: “When Umar  entered the fold of Islam,
Jibraa’eel  descended and said: “O Muhammad ! All the
inhabitants of the heavens are overjoyed at the Islam of Umar.”
Chapter 6 111
‘Umar  embraced Islam and this almost instantaneously heralded the

honour, exposure and dominance of Islam. People started performing their Salaah
openly in the Haram. The dissemination of and invitation towards Islam was
carried out more freely and openly. This was the day that laid bare the distinction
between truth and falsehood. This is why Rasulullah  named Umar
 “Al-Faarooq” –the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood.
Hadhrat Umar  relates: “When I embraced Islam, I thought to myself
that I should inform someone who is proficient in publicising this so that one and
all is aware of my Islam. Accordingly, I went up to Jameel bin Mu‘ammar who was
quite proficient in such a task. I submitted: “O Jameel! Are you aware that I
embraced Islam? I have entered the religion of Muhammad .”
The instant this fell onto Jameel‘s ears, he, dragging his sheet behind him,
scuttled to the Masjidul-Haraam where the chieftains of the Quraysh had
assembled. On reaching them, he yelled out: “O People! Umar has turned Saabi
(apostate).” I was closely following on his heels. I exclaimed: “No! He is mistaken. I
have not turned into a Saabi but I have become a Muslim. I testify that there is
none worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad  is His slave and
messenger.”
The moment people gathered what happened, they fell onto ‘Umar striking
and hitting him until the day retreated when coincidentally ‘Aas bin Waa’il
happened to pass by. When asked what happened, the people replied that Umar
had become a Saabi. “So what,” ‘Aas retorted, “A person has the liberty to choose
whatever religion he fancies. Why are you interfering in his affairs? Do you think
Bani ‘Adi will just abandon a member of their clan like this? Go on. Leave him
alone, I have offered sanctuary to Umar.” The moment ‘Aas offered sanctuary to
Umar, the crowd dispersed.
Boycott of Banu Haashim and the Penning of an Oppressive

Decree
When the Qurayshi emissaries returned disappointed from Abyssinia and the
disbelievers learnt of Emperor Negus’ admiration for Hadhrat Ja’far  and his
companions, whilst here in Makkah Hadhrat Hamzah  and Hadhrat ‘Umar
 embraced Islam, which further fractured the might of the disbelievers, the
Muslims seemed to be growing day by day and when no other strategy appeared to
be as effective, all the Qurayshi tribes unanimously agreed to endorse an accord
that would summarily suspend all dealings with Muhammad , the Banu
Haashim and their allies. Amongst others, they resolved not to marry any member
of the Banu Haashim tribe or to maintain any sort of cordial relationship with them
until the Banu Haashim undertook to surrender Muhammad’s  life to the
Quraysh.
They drew up an accord outlining such details and pinned it onto the interior
wall of the K‘abah. Mansoor bin ‘Ikramah, the writer of this oppressive and
malicious accord, was instantaneously punished by Allah Ta’ala; his fingers
became paralysed and he was unable to use his fingers to write again.
Constrained by these unfavourable circumstances, Abu Taalib, together with
members of his family, sought refuge in the valley of Abu Taalib. The Banu
Haashim and the Banu-Muttalib – believers and disbelievers – both gave him their
full support. The believers offered their support for religious reasons whilst the
disbelievers offered their support in honour of family relationship. From the Banu
Haashim, only Abu Lahab opted to remain with the Quraysh.
For three long years, these people lived in such dreadful isolation and under
the most appalling conditions. The wailing of infants out of acute hunger could be
heard right outside the valley where the pitiless Quraysh would hear this
anguished crying and cheer in happiness. However, the compassionate from
amongst them found this behaviour rather distasteful and bluntly said: “Don’t you
see what divine retribution was meted out to Mansoor bin ‘Ikramah?”
During this dreadful social sanctions imposed upon them, the Muslims lived
on Kekar (acacia) leaves and somehow managed to survive. S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas
 relates: “I was extremely hungry to the point of starvation. One night, I
stepped onto something moist. I immediately picked it up and swallowed it. Up
until now I have absolutely no idea what it was.”
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  relates another such incident. He says: “One
night I was on my way to relieve myself when I came across a shrivelled out camel
skin. I picked it up, washed it with water and burnt it. I thereafter pounded it into a
powder, which I then gulped down with water. I survived on this for full three
days.”
The restrictions imposed upon the Muslims were further escalated when Abu
Lahab instructed the trade caravans not to supply goods to the companions of
Muhammad  at normal prices but at enormously inflated prices. In fact,
Abu Lahab even agreed to bear the traders’ losses if any. The Sahaabah 
would come to purchase from the trade caravans but noticing the outrageous prices
would return empty-handed. In short, on the one hand they were distressed by
their destitution and tormented by the heavy-handedness of the enemy whilst on
the other hand, they were challenged with the heartrending cries and hunger-pangs
of the children.
Some people could not stand their family members suffering such anguish and
would secretly send some food for them. One day Hakeem bin Hizaam,
accompanied by his slave, was taking some provisions for his aunt (father’s sister)
Hadhrat Khadijah  when Abu Jahal spotted him. He bellowed in fury: “You
are taking grains to Banu Haashim! I will never tolerate you taking any food for
them. I will humiliate you in front of everyone.” Coincidentally, Abul-Bakhtari
happened to pass by. On ascertaining what happened, he addressed Abu Jahal
Chapter 6 113
saying: “The man is sending some food to his aunt. Why do you have to interfere?”
This really added to his fury and he let stream a few abusive words. Abul-Bakhtari
picked up a camel bone and whacked Abu Jahal so hard on the head that he
sustained a terrible injury to his head. What hurt Abu Jahal more than the actual
injury was that Hadhrat Hamzah  was busy witnessing this whole scenario
from the valley of Abu Taalib.
Due to these agonising and pathetic hardships the Muslims were facing, some
of the disbelievers thought about violating this gruesome accord. The first person
who reflected over this was Hishaam bin ‘Amr. He dwelled on the fact that they
are eating and drinking to their fill whilst their close relatives are longing for just a
few grains and they are passing their days in starvation. So every night he would
leave a camel-load of grain at the mouth of the valley of Abu Taalib.
One day, Hishaam bin ‘Amr took this thought to Zuhair bin Umayyah. He was
the grandson of ‘Abdul-Muttalib and the son of ‘Aatikah bint ‘Abdul-Muttalib. In
other words, he was Rasulullah’s  cousin – his father’s sister’s son.
Hishaam went up to Zuhair saying: “O Zuhair! Are you pleased to eat, drink, wear
and marry however you want whilst your mother’s brother pines for a few grains
of food? By Allah! If Abu Jahal’s uncle and maternal relations were to suffer such
hardships, he would never have bothered about this accord.” Zuhair replied: “Alas!
I am alone in this. What can I achieve single-handed? If only I can get another
sympathiser to assist me I will readily stand up against this immoral accord.”
Hishaam bin ‘Amr then went to Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and convinced him as well.
Mut‘im bin ‘Adi in turn convinced another person to defy this accord.
From here, Hishaam went to Abul-Bakhtari and then to Zam‘ah bin Al-Aswad
to gather further support against this treaty.
When these five people resolved to challenge the treaty, they unanimously
agreed to touch on the topic when all the other people gather. Zuhair undertook to
steer the conversation towards this topic. The next morning, when the people had
assembled in the Masjid, Zuhair rose saying: “O people of Makkah! It is a matter of
grave concern and shame that we eat, drink, marry and attire ourselves whilst the
Banu Haashim are dying with starvation. By Allah! I will not sit at ease until this
oppressive accord is not shredded up.” Abu Jahal retorted: “This divine accord of
Allah can never be shredded.”
Zam‘ah bin Aswad commented: “By Allah! It will certainly be shred. Even
when this accord was drawn up we were not happy about it.” Abul-Bakhtari said:
“Yes, Zam‘ah is speaking the truth. We were not pleased with the accord.” Mut‘im
added: “Certainly, both of them are true in what they say.” Hishaam bin ‘Urwah
again endorsed what he said. Witnessing the tones of the gathering, Abu Jahal was
left thunderstruck and exclaimed: “It seems like some decision was already taken
the previous night.”
In the meantime, Rasulullah  informed his uncle that apart from the
names of Allah Ta’ala, ants had eaten up the written accord. Apart from the
sentence Bismika Allahumma which generally headed every document, the rest of
the words had been devoured by ants.
Abu Taalib, whilst narrating this to the Quraysh said: “This is what my
nephew says and up to this day, my nephew has never uttered a lie. Whatever he
has claimed thus far has never proven to be fictitious. Come, let us make a decision;
if Muhammad’s claim is true you will refrain from this cruelty and if his claim
proves false, I am prepared to surrender Muhammad to you. You may then slay
him or set him free.” The people said: “Surely, Abu Taalib! You have been
reasonably fair.”
The written accord was then sent for. When they caught sight of it, they were
shocked to discover that apart from the names of Allah Ta’ala, ants had eaten up
the rest of the document. All of them lowered their heads in shame and
embarrassment.
In this manner, this oppressive accord was finally put to rest. In the tenth year
of prohethood, Abu Taalib and all his companions emerged from this desolate
valley. Abu Taalib then went to the Haram Shareef and clinging onto the curtain of
the K‘abah, he and his companions made the following dua: “O Allah! Those who
oppressed us, those who severed our family ties and those who put us through such
dishonour, O Allah! We beg of You to retaliate on our behalf.”
Abu Taalib also composed a poem in this regard. One couplet reads:
ّٰ
‫ يفسد‬4‫وان ك مالم يرضه ا‬ ‫الم يأتكم ان الصحيفة مزقت‬
“Do you not know that the accord was ripped up and whatever displeases Allah
Ta’ala is ruined in this manner?”
Hafiz Ibn Katheer  says: “When Rasulullah  and the Banu Haashim
were besieged in the valley of Abu Taalib, Abu Taalib composed his celebrated
poem called Qasidah Laamiyyah”.
This brought an end to three years of protracted misery and in the tenth year
of prohethood, three years before Hijrah, the Muslims were liberated from the
valley of Abu Taalib.
Migration of Abu Bakr 
During this period, when the Banu Haashim were restrained in the valley of Abu
Taalib, Abu Bakr  set out with the intention to migrate to Abyssinia (to join
the other Abyssinian migrants). When he reached a place called Barkul-Ghamaad,
he happened to meet the chieftain of the Qaarah tribe, Ibnud-Daghinah.
“Where are you off to, O Abu Bakr?” asked Ibnud-Daghinah. Abu Bakr
 replied: “My people have driven me out. I wish to travel in the land of Allah
Ta’ala and worship my Lord.” Ibnud-Daghinah said: “Abu Bakr! A man of your
status does not leave nor is he driven out. You offer provisions to the needy, you
Chapter 6 115
maintain favourable family ties, you bear the burdens (debts, penalties etc.) of
others, you are exceptionally hospitable and you support the truth. I will take you
under my protection. Go on, return home.” Ibnud-Daghinah headed towards
Makkah and performed Tawaaf in the presence of the chieftains of Quraysh. He
then addressed them saying: “A man like Abu Bakr does not just leave nor is he
ever banished. You are driving out a man who offers provisions to the needy, who
maintains favourable family ties, who bears the burdens of others, who is
incredibly hospitable and who supports the truth. I have offered him my personal
protection.”
The Quraysh accepted this protection offered by Ibnud-Daghinah but added:
“Ask Abu Bakr to worship his Lord within the confines of his home. He may
perform his Salaah and recite the Qur-aan within his home but he may not
publicise whatever he is doing. He may not recite the Qur-aan in an audible tone as
this distresses us a great deal. Furthermore, we fear our children and womenfolk
may become attracted to Islam.”
Ibnud-Daghinah informed Hadhrat Abu Bakr  of their demands and
returned home. So Abu Bakr  limited his devotions to his home only. A few
days later, Abu Bakr  erected a Masjid (a place exclusively devoted to
‘Ibaadah) within the courtyard of his house for the performance of Salaah and the
recitation of the Qur-aan.
In spite of him confining his rituals to this area alone, the women and children
of the Quraysh would gather around him in rapt concentration. Struck by wonder,
they would unceasingly stand and stare at Abu Bakr . The focus of attention
of every single one of them was concentrated upon Abu Bakr . Due to his
intense fear of Allah Ta’ala, Abu Bakr  was a man who wept a lot. Despite
being a man (who could control his emotions), Abu Bakr  was helpless in
restraining the tears of his eyes whilst reciting the Holy Qur-aan. Notwithstanding
his best efforts, he was unable to control his weeping. (This is why the audience
were unable to control their hearts. Notwithstanding their best efforts, they were
unable to control their hearts whenever Abu Bakr  engaged in tilaawat of the
Holy Qur-aan.)
When the chieftains of the Quraysh got wind of this, they were hurled into a
state of absolute anxiety and they immediately summoned Ibnud-Daghinah. As he
appeared before them, they complained: “We assured Abu Bakr of our non-
interference upon your surety provided he worships his Lord in the privacy of his
home. We were given the assurance that he will neither worship openly nor will he
recite the Qur-aan audibly. Contrary to our stipulated conditions, Abu Bakr has
started performing Salaah and reciting the Qur-aan openly. We fear our women
and children becoming ‘morally corrupt’. We urge you to request Abu Bakr to
commit himself to these pre-arranged conditions or alternatively you may
withdraw your personal protection from him. We have no intention of violating
your personal protection.”
To this Hadhrat Abu Bakr  replied: “I am returning your personal

protection back to you. I am content with the protection and sanctuary offered by
Allah Ta’ala.”
Note: The benevolent features of Abu Bakr  as mentioned by Ibnud-
Daghinah are precisely the same features of Rasulullah  as mentioned by
Hadhrat Khadijah  (as referred to under the chapter of the commencement of
prophethood). This clearly indicates the virtue and excellence of Abu Bakr Siddeeq
 and the close correlation between the status of nubuwwat (prophethood)
and the status of Siddeeqiyyat.
The Year of Anguish and Bereavement - The death of

Khadijatul-Kubra  and Abu Taalib
Merely a few days after emerging from Shi‘b Abi Taalib, in the month of
Ramadhaan or Shawwaal in the tenth year of prophethood, Abu Taalib passed
away and just three or five days after this, Hadhrat Khadijatul-Kubra  also
departed from this world.
When Abu Taalib was about to breathe his last, Rasulullah  drew
close to him. Abu Jahal and ‘Abdullah bin Umayyah were also present at his
bedside. Rasulullah  pleaded with him: “O uncle! Say Laa Ilaaha Illallahu
once only so that I may have some basis to intercede on your behalf before Allah
Ta’ala.” Alarmed by this probability, Abu Jahal and ‘Abdullah bin Umayyah
exclaimed: “O Abu Taalib! Do you wish to renounce the creed of ‘Abdul Muttalib?”
Abu Taalib refused to utter Laa Ilaaha Illallahu and the very last words to
leave his tongue were “’Alaa Millati ‘Abdil Muttalib. In other words, I am
committed to the creed of ‘Abdul Muttalib.”
Abu Taalib died saying this but Rasulullah  pledged, “I will continue
to make dua of forgiveness for Him as long as Allah Ta’ala does not prohibit me.”
Upon this the following verse was revealed:
ْ ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺒﲔ ﻟ‬H ‫و ﻗ ْﺮ ٰ ﻣ‬ ۤۡ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ۤ

$
ۡ ‫ﻮا ا‬ ‫ﻛﺎﻧ‬
‫ﲔ وﻟ ْﻮ‬ X‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮا ان ْﺴﺘﻐﻔﺮ ۡوا ﻟﻠ ﻤﺸﺮ‬
‫ﻠﻨ و‬ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻟ‬

ْ
﴾۱۱۳﴿ ‫ ا ْﺻ ٰﺤﺐ اﻟﺠﺤ ۡﻴﻢ‬$ ْ ‫اﻧ‬

“It is not permissible for the Prophet and the believers to seek forgiveness for the
disbelievers even if they are relatives when it is evident to them that they are
inmates of hell. (In other words, they died in disbelief.)” [Surah Taubah verse 113]
The following verse was also revealed in this regard:
ۡ ‫يﻣ‬ۡ ‫ﺣﺒ ْﺒﺖ وﻟ ٰﻜﻦ اﷲ ﻳ ۡﻬﺪ‬ ۡ ‫اﻧﻚ ﻻ ﺗ ۡﻬﺪ‬

ْ ‫ي ﻣ ْﻦ ا‬
N‫ﻦ ﺸﺂء‬

Chapter 6 117
“You are unable to guide whom you wish but Allah guides whomsoever he chooses
to.” [Surah Qasas verse 56]
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  relates: “I asked Rasulullah , ‘Of what benefit
were you to your uncle? After all, he was your benefactor and he provided you his
unstinting support.’ Rasulullah  replied: ‘He is up to his ankles in the fire.
Had I failed to intercede on his behalf, he would have been in the midst of the fire
of Jahannam.’”
Note: ‘Allaamah Suhayli says: “Abu Taalib was fully immersed in supporting
and assisting Rasulullah . Only his feet (so to say) were ensnared in the
creed of ‘Abdul Muttalib. This is why only his feet were enveloped by the divine
chastisement (as mentioned above). ”
ٰ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ّ َ َّ ً ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َّ َ
‫صنا < الق ۡو ِم الكفِرِ ۡي َن‬ ‫ربنا اف ِرغ علينا صبا وثبِت اقدامنا وان‬
“O our Lord! Dispense upon us patience and secure our feet and assist us against
the disbelieving nation.”
Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “When Abu Taalib died, I notified Rasulullah
: ‘O Prophet of Allah! Your deviated uncle has died.’ Rasulullah
 responded: ‘Go and bury him.’ I submitted: ‘He died a Mushrik.’
Rasulullah  said: ‘All the same, go and bury him.’”
According to another narration, when Hadhrat Ali  reappeared before
Rasulullah  on his return from burying Abu Taalib, Rasulullah 
instructed him to take a bath. This is why the jurists and ‘Ulama maintain that it is
preferable to take a bath after administering the Ghusl and burial of a disbeliever.
Journey to Taaif for the Propagation of Islam

Following the departure of Abu Taalib from this world, Rasulullah  was
left with no apparent benefactor and supporter and after the demise of Hadhrat
Khadijah , he was left with no sympathiser and comforter. This is why, at
the end of Shawwaal in the tenth year of prophethood, strained by the heavy-
handedness of the Quraysh of Makkah, Rasulullah  decided to journey to
Taaif. Perhaps, he reflected, these inhabitants would embrace the divine guidance
of Allah Ta’ala and turn out to be the supporters and benefactors of this Deen.
Accompanied by Zaid Bin Haarisah , Rasulullah  set out for Taaif.
Rasulullah  presented Islam to ‘Abdiyaalil, Mas’ood and Habib –
three brothers who were the chieftains of that area. Instead of lending an ear to the
words of truth, they responded in an awfully ruthless manner. One of them
remarked: “Did Allah Ta’ala commission you as a prophet to rip apart the curtains
of the K‘abah?” Another mockingly commented: “Could Allah Ta’ala not choose
someone else for His prophethood?” The third brother bellowed: “By Allah! I
absolutely refuse to speak to you! If you have truly been commissioned as a divine
messenger, it is terribly dangerous to defy you. (This foolish man failed to
understand that ridiculing and poking fun at a prophet is even more dangerous
than that.) If you are not the Prophet of Allah, then you neither merit my attention
nor are you worth our consideration.”
He then incited the immoral vagrants and other uncouth youngsters to hurl
stones at him and poke fun at him. These heartless inhabitants lobbed so many
stones upon his blessed body that they gravely wounded him. Whenever Rasulullah
 was overwhelmed by his injuries and forced to sit down, these
unfortunate souls would seize him by the arm and force him to stand up again for
another spell of stone throwing and mockery.
Zaid bin Haarisah , who also went along on this journey, selflessly tried
to protect Rasulullah  by bodily shielding him from the barrage of stones.
This left him with serious head injuries whilst Rasulullah  suffered
serious injuries to his (body and) legs so much so that blood streamed down his
legs (into his shoes).
On his return from Taaif, Rasulullah  decided to take a breath under
a tree in the garden of ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah and Shaybah bin Rabi’ah. As he sat
down, he humbly expressed his helplessness before Allah Ta’ala by offering the
following dua:
ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ّٰ
‫الل ُه َّم ا ِۡلك اشك ۡو ض ۡعف قوت وقلة حيلت وهوان < الاس يا ارحم‬
‫الراحي انت رب المستضعفي ا¯ من تكلن ا¯ عدو بعيد‬
< ‫يتجهمن ام ا¯ صديق قريب ملكته امري ان لم تكن غضبانا‬
‫ ابا¯ غي ان عفيتك اوسع ¯ اعوذ بنور وجهك الي اشقت ل‬K‫ف‬
‫خرة من ان تنل ب غضبك او‬O‫الظلمات وصلح عليه امر النيا وا‬
َّ
‫ بك‬O‫ قوة ا‬O‫ حول و‬O‫يل ب سخطك ولك العتب حت ترض و‬
“O Allah! Only to You do I complain of my infirmity, my inadequate strategies and
of my humiliation before the people. O most merciful of the merciful! You are the
Lord of the weak and helpless. To whom do You consign me? Would You condemn
me to an impolite and ill-tempered enemy who will enrage me or would You consign
me to a close friend to whom You would entrust my affairs? If You are not angry
with me, I am not concerned in the least but Your protection and safety is more
accommodating and pleasant to me. I seek refuge with the Noor (radiance) of Your
Chapter 6 119
being that has brightened the darkness and the radiance upon which the affairs of
this world and the hereafter depend, with the medium of this radiance I seek Your
refuge, O Allah, from Your wrath descending upon me or from Your fury being
unleashed over me. And only to You (do I wish to express my lamentations) until
You are content. There is no power (to repel evil) nor might (to do good) but only
that which You have decreed.”
The status of prophethood would have sufficed for the acceptance of duas because
every prophet is a Mustajaabud-D‘awaat (one whose duas are promptly accepted
by Allah Ta’ala). However, at this moment, apart from the attribute of
prophethood, a pitiable condition of adversity, victimisation, alienation and
Musaafarat (a state of travelling) further complemented this condition of
acceptance of duas. Allah Ta’ala says:
ٓ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ‫اﻣ‬
‫اﻟﺴ ۡﻮء‬ ‫ﻒ‬ ‫ﺸ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺎه‬‫ﻋ‬ ‫د‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺮ‬‫ﻄ‬‫ﻀ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻳ ﺠ ۡﻴﺐ اﻟﻤ‬

“Who is the one who would respond to (the duas) of the person afflicted by adversity
when he calls unto Him, and He removes evil.”
Furthermore, in regards to a traveller and an oppressed person, both of them are
clearly and independently mentioned in the Hadith that their duas are indisputably
accepted.
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“Beware the sigh of the oppressed for the gates of acceptance readily welcomes his
dua in the Divine Court of Allah Ta’ala.”
You can very well imagine the duas of a personage of such noble character who
besides being a divine messenger is also a victim of adversity, oppression, alienated
and travelling on a journey. Such a dua barely left his lips when the doors of
acceptance were flung open.
The same ‘Utbah and Shaybah, whose hearts were harder than stone, turned
soft when they caught sight of Rasulullah’s  sad and pitiable condition.
The blood of their kinship and the veins of their patriotism surged forth (in their
concern for his welfare). They charged their slave ‘Addaas to fill a tray with grapes
and take it to the man sitting in the garden. They instructed him to request the man
to partake of it. ‘Addaas brought the tray to Rasulullah  and placed it
before him. Rasulullah  recited Bismillah and commenced eating.
‘Addaas commented: “By Allah! Nobody in that city has ever expressed such
words.” Rasulullah  asked: “Where are you from and what religion do
you follow?” ‘Addaas replied: “I am a resident of the city of Nenwaa and I am a
Christian by faith.” Rasulullah  enquired: “Is this the same Nenwaa

where the devout servant of Allah, Yunus bin Matta lived?” Taken aback, ‘Addaas
responded: “What knowledge do you have about Yunus bin Matta?” Rasulullah
 replied: “He was my brother, a Messenger and I am also a Messenger.”
‘Addaas kissed Rasulullah  on his forehead, hands and legs and
submitted: “I bear testimony that you are the slave and messenger of Allah.” When
‘Addaas returned to ‘Utbah and Shaybah, they reproached him for kissing
Rasulullah  on his hands and feet. They also warned him: “Make sure this
man does not deviate you from your religion. Your religion is far better than his
religion.”
Hakeem bin Hizaam  narrates: “When ‘Utbah and Shaybah were all
primed to take part in the battle of Badr with the Quraysh of Makkah, ‘Addaas
grasped their feet and beseeched: “By Allah! This man is the Messenger of Allah.
These people are being drawn to their annihilation.”
‘Addaas was busy weeping when ‘Aas bin Shaybah happened to pass by. He
asked ‘Addaas why he was weeping so profusely. ‘Addaas replied: “I am shedding
tears over my two masters who are on their way to do battle with the Messenger of
Allah.” ‘Aas bin Shaybah enquired: “Is he really the Messenger of Allah?” ‘Addaas
replied: “Certainly, by Allah! He has been commissioned as a messenger of Allah to
the entire world.”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates: “I once asked Rasulullah  if he
ever encountered a day more gruelling than the day of Uhud. Rasulullah 
replied: “Well, the rigorous ordeals I suffered at the hands of your people, were
trials I had somehow endured, but the most punishing day to me was the day I
presented myself before the sons of ‘Abdiyaalil (at Taaif). I returned from them
dreadfully disillusioned and dejected. I recovered somewhat as I reached a place
called Qarn Al-Tha‘aalib when all of a sudden I raised my head and caught sight of
a cloud sheltering me. Jibraa’eel  who was also within the cloud called out to
me: “Allah is well-aware of the response of your people. Allah has presently
despatched to you Malakul-Jibaal (the angel of the mountains). You may bid him to
do as you instruct.” Presently, the angel in charge of the mountains greeted me
with Salaam and said: “O Muhammad! Allah has sent me to you. I am Malakul-
Jibaal (the angel in charge of the mountains). The mountains are in my control. You
may instruct me to do as you prefer. If you instruct me, I will combine these two
mountains (on either side of Makkah and Taaif) and crush everyone within them.”
Rasulullah  responded: “No, I cherish hope that Allah Ta’ala will create
from their very own descendants, people who will worship Him alone without
ascribing any partners unto Him.”
Note: In spite of their ruthless brutalities, this personification of mercy unto
mankind, this embodiment of affection did not make dua for their annihilation
because even though these people may not embrace Islam, their descendants may
comprise of obedient, sincere and devoted servants of Allah Ta’ala.
Chapter 6 121
Return from Taaif and Attendance of the Jinn

On his return from Taaif, Rasulullah  spent a few days in a place called
Nakhlah. As Rasulullah  was performing Salaah one night, seven Jinnaat
of Naseebayn happened to pass by. They stood listening to his recitation of the
Qur-aan for a little while and departed. Rasulullah  was totally unaware
of their appearance until the following verses were revealed:
ۡ ۤ ْ ْ ۤ ْ ْ
‫ ﻓ ﻠ ﻤﺎ ﻗﻀﻲ‬N‫ﻀﺮ ۡوه ﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا اﻧﺼﺘ ۡﻮا‬ ‫ ﻓ ﻠ ﻤﺎ ﺣ‬N‫ﻚ ﻧ ﻔ ًﺮا ﻣﻦ اﻟﺠ ﻦ ْﺴﺘﻤﻌ ۡﻮن اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮ ٰان‬ ‫و اذ ﺻﺮﻓﻨﺎ اﻟ ۡﻴ‬

ۡ ً ۡ ْ H ۡ ْ ۤ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ٰ ْ
‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﺼ ﺪﻗﺎ ﻟ ﻤﺎ ﺑ‬ ‫﴾ ﻗﺎﻟﻮا ٰﻳ ﻘﻮﻣ ﻨﺎ اﻧﺎ ﺳﻤﻌ ﻨﺎ ﻛ ٰﺘ ًﺒﺎ اﻧﺰ ل ﻣﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻣﻮ ٰ ﻣ‬۲۹﴿ ‫ ﻣﻨﺬرﻳﻦ‬$‫وﻟﻮا ا ﻗﻮﻣ‬

ْ ۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۤ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ۤ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻜ ۡﻢ‬ ‫﴾ ٰﻳ ﻘﻮﻣ ﻨﺎ اﺟﻴﺒﻮا داﻋﻲ اﷲ و اﻣ ﻨﻮا ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻳﻐﻔ ْﺮ ﻟ‬۳۰﴿ ‫ﺤ ﻖ و ا ٰ ﻃﺮﻳ ٍﻖ ﻣﺴ ﺘﻘﻴ ٍﻢ‬ ‫ﻳ ﺪﻳﻪ ﻳﻬﺪي ا اﻟ‬

ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ‫﴾ و ﻣ‬۳۱﴿ ‫ ۡﻢ ﻣ ْﻦ ﻋﺬاب اﻟ ۡﻴﻢ‬X‫ﻦ ذﻧ ۡﻮﺑﻜ ْﻢ و ﻳﺠ ْﺮ‬ ۡ
‫ﺰ ﰲ اﻻ ْرض‬ ٍ ‫ﺲ ﺑ ﻤﻌﺠ‬ '‫ﺐ داﻋﻲ اﷲ ﻓﻠ‬ ْ ‫ﻦ ﻻ ﻳﺠ‬
‫ﻣ‬
ٍ ٍ
ۡ ۡ ¶ ۡ ۤ ۡ ۡ ٗ ۡ
﴾۳۲﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ٍ ‫ﺿﻠٰ ٍﻞ ﻣﺒ‬ ‫ﻚﰲ‬ ‫ اوﻟ‬MN‫ ﻣﻦ دوﻧ ٖﻪ اوﻟ ﻴﺂ ء‬u ‫ﺲ‬ '‫وﻟ‬

“And remember the time when We directed towards you a group of Jinn listening
attentively to the (recitation of) the Qur-aan. When they turned up before him, they
said (to one another): ‘Remain silent (and listen to his words).’ And when it was
concluded (by the termination of the Salaah), they returned to their people warning
(them). They said: ‘O Our People! We have heard (the recitation) of a book revealed
after Musa that endorses the previous books and it guides towards the truth and
towards the right path. O our People! Respond to the caller of Allah and believe in
him; Allah will forgive your sins and deliver you from a grievous punishment. And
he who does not respond to the caller of Allah, he is unable to flee in the earth and
he will have no supporter besides Him (Allah). Such people are in clear
misguidance.’” [Surah Ahqaaf verses 29-32]
As they approached Makkah, Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah  asked: “How will
you enter Makkah when the inhabitants of Makkah had forcefully ousted you from
the city?” Rasulullah  replied: “O Zaid! Allah Ta’ala will surely bring
about some solution from this predicament. Allah Ta’ala Himself is the supporter
and guardian of His Deen. Certainly He will grant His messenger dominance over
everyone else.”
When Rasulullah  reached the cave of Hira, he dispatched a message
to Akhnas bin Shareeq asking whether he could enter Makkah under his (Akhnas’)
protection. Akhnas responded: “Since I am an ally of the Quraysh, I am unable to
afford you this protection.” Thereafter Rasulullah  sent the same message
to Suhail bin ‘Amr. He replied: “The Banu ‘Aamir are unable to offer protection in
defiance of Banu K‘ab.” Finally Rasulullah  sent a message to Mut‘im bin
‘Adi appealing to him whether he could enter Makkah under his protection.
Mut‘im accepted this appeal. He then drew his sons and people of his clan together
and instructed them to assemble fully armed at the door of the Haram. He declared
to them: “I have offered Muhammad my protection.” Saying this, he himself
mounted his camel and headed for the Haram. As he reached the door of the
Haram, he proclaimed: “O people of the Quraysh! I have offered Muhammad my
protection. None of you should interfere with him.”
Rasulullah  then entered the Haram. After kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad
(the black stone) he performed Tawaaf of the K‘abah followed by two Rakaats of
Salaah. He then returned home. Mut‘im and his sons had actually taken Rasulullah
 into their personal protection.
It was due to this demonstration of his goodwill, Rasulullah , in
regards to the captives of Badr, said:
‫ء التن لتكتهم ل‬O‫لو كن المطعم بن عدي حيا ثم كمن ف هو‬

“If Mut‘im bin ‘Adi was alive today and he spoke to me about these (spiritually)
filthy people, I would have released all of them in consideration of him.”
Islam of Tufail bin ‘Amr Dawsi

During this period, Tufail bin ‘Amr Dawsi turned up in Makkah. Rasulullah
 was actively engaged in Tableegh (inviting towards Allah Ta’ala) during
this period. Apart from being a man of noble lineage, Tufail was a celebrated poet
and a man of remarkable wisdom. He was also renowned for his great hospitality.
He enjoyed friendly alliances with the Quraysh.
When he came to Makkah, some of the Quraysh informed him: “There is a
man who has turned up amongst us who has caused a lot of friction within the
nation. His speech is like sorcery and black magic as it causes hostile division
between father and son, between brother and brother and between husband and
wife. You should also be vigilant of him lest you or your people fall prey to his
menace. As far as possible, refrain from listening to anything he has to say.”
The Quraysh terrified him to such an extent that he inserted wads of cotton
into his ears lest the speech of this man accidentally falls onto his ears. He relates:
“This action led the people to dub me Zul-Qutnatain (the man with two wads of
cotton wool). Coincidentally, I was one day passing the Masjidul Haraam where I
came across Rasulullah  performing Salaah before the K‘abah. I edged
closer to him. Although I personally had no intention to listen to his words, Allah
Ta’ala wanted to make me listen to some of His words. I involuntarily managed to
listen to these words, which I found extraordinarily pleasant and delightful. I
thought to myself, ‘I am an intelligent man and a celebrated poet. The charismatic
grace or the repulsive lewdness of any speech is not strange to my ears. I will
Chapter 6 123
definitely lend my ears to this speech. If his words are pleasant, I will accept them
and if his words are revolting or inappropriate, I will reject them. ”
He further relates: “Subsequently, when Rasulullah  returned from
the Haram, I tagged along behind him. When he reached his house, I submitted:
‘Your people have left me so terrified of listening to your words that I have inserted
cotton wool into my ears lest I fall prey to your words. However, the divine will of
Allah Ta’ala has disallowed this decision of abstaining from your words. Your
words fell onto my ears and I found them to be exceptionally graceful. Why don’t
you present your religion to me?’
Rasulullah  then presented Islam to me and recited a portion of the
Holy Qur-aan before me.”
According to another narration Rasulullah  recited Surah Ikhlaas
and Mu‘awwazatain before him.
He relates: “By Allah! I have never come across any words similar to the words
of the Holy Qur-aan and I have not encountered any religion more moderate and
reasonable than the religion of Islam. I immediately embraced Islam. I then
appealed: ‘O Rasool of Allah! I am the chief of my people. After my return, I aspire
to invite my people towards Islam. Make dua unto Allah Ta’ala to grant me some
symbol that would assist me in my ambitions.’ Rasulullah  then made
dua:
ّٰ
‫الل ُه َّم اجعل ل اية‬
“O Allah! Grant him some symbol.”
He relates: “Subsequently, as I neared my hometown, a Nur (radiance) like the
radiance of a lantern suddenly formed between my eyes. I pleaded with Allah
Ta’ala to transfer this Nur onto some other part of my body instead of positioning
it right on my face lest my people regard this as a type of Muthlah (mutilation) as a
form of divine reprisal against me for denouncing my ancestral religion. This Nur
was instantly transferred to my whip, which miraculously turned into something
like a lantern.
In the morning, I presented Islam first to my father and then to my wife. Both
of them cleaned their clothing, took a bath and embraced Islam. I pacified my wife
by saying: ‘If you are concerned about any harm afflicting the children due to us
abandoning the idols, I accept full responsibility.’
I then presented Islam to the Daws tribe but they were a bit hesitant to accept
Islam. I returned to Makkah and once again presented myself to Rasulullah
 exclaiming: ‘O Prophet of Allah! The tribe of Daws declined to embrace
Islam. Why don’t you invoke the curse of Allah against them?’ Rasulullah
 raised his hands in supplication:
ّٰ
ً ‫الل ُه َّم اهد‬
‫دوسا وائت بهم‬
‘O Allah! Guide the tribe of Daws and (following their conversion to Islam) bring
them here.’
He then advised Tufail: ‘Go and invite them towards Islam with affection and
compassion.’”
He says: “As per his advice, I persisted in inviting the people towards Islam.
Up to the seventh year of Hijrah, between seventy to eighty households
embraced Islam. In the year 7 A.H., I brought all of them with me to Madinah
Munawwarah in the presence of Rasulullah . Following the conquest
of Makkah, I requested Rasulullah  to permit me to set ablaze the idol
of ‘Amr bin Hameemah called Zul-Kaffain.”
Once Tufail gained his approval, he set out for his village and set fire to this
idol. As he was in the process of setting it alight, he disdainfully continued reciting
the following stanzas:
َ َ ۡ َ َُ َۡ
َُ‫ك‬ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ
ُ ‫ك َف ۡي ل َ ۡس‬
‫دِك‬K‫ب م ِۡن م ِۡي‬ ‫دنا ا‬K‫ت م ِۡن ع َّبادِك مِي‬ ِ ‫يا ذا ال‬
َ َ ُ ۡ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ ّ
‫ف فؤادِك‬ِ ‫ا ِِن حشوت الار‬
“O Zul-Kaffain! I am not one of your devotees. My birth is far superior to your
birth. Indeed, I have thrust blazing fire within your heart.”
Half the tribe had already embraced Islam. Subsequent to the torching of this idol,
the other half repented from their polytheism and embraced Islam.
According to another narration, after accepting Islam, Tufail returned to his
hometown on an incredibly dark rainy night. As a result, he was unable to see the
road ahead. This is when Allah Ta’ala created this Nur (light). The people were left
in utter bewilderment. They surrounded him from all sides attempting to clutch his
whip. This brilliance then radiated from their fingertips. Whenever a dark night
fell, this whip would turn radiant with Nur. This is why Hadhrat Tufail was
prominently known as Zun-Nur (a man of radiance).
Chapter 7
Mi’raaj
After his return from Taaif, Allah Ta’ala took Rasulullah  for Mi’raaj
from Masjidul-Haraam to Masjidul-Aqsa and from there to the seven heavens all in
one night with the same physical body and soul in a state of absolute consciousness
and wakefulness. This journey is referred to as Mi’raaj or Israa, the details of which
will be described in the chapter dealing with divine miracles, Insha Allah. The
scholars of Seerah have differed over the exact month in which the Mi’raaj took
place. The most accepted view is that it occurred on the twenty-seventh night of
Rajab. And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Wisdom behind Mi’raaj

Ten years of prophethood had gone by. All avenues of trials and tribulations were
covered. Not a facet of humiliation was left untouched in the path of Allah Ta’ala.
Clearly what better outcome can there be of trials and tribulations suffered in the
path of Allah Ta’ala than honour, reverence and Mi’raaj (ascension)?
So when Rasulullah  experienced the extreme levels of distress after
his emergence from the valley of Abu Taalib and after his return from Taaif, Allah
Ta’ala bestowed him with the privilege of Mi’raaj and ascension and Allah Ta’ala
elevated him to such a lofty level that even the most revered of the closest angels
were left behind. Allah Ta’ala made him journey to the extremity of the universe.
He was taken right up to the divine throne after which there is no further rank.
This is why some Aarifeen (sufis) say that this journey to the divine throne
was an indication of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat (the termination of prophethood). The
entire creation and universe terminates at the divine throne. The existence of any
creation beyond the throne is not established from the Qur-aan and Hadith.
Similarly, the merits of prophethood terminate upon the existence of Rasulullah
.
125
Mi’raaj in Detail
ٗ ‫ﻨﺎ ﺣ ْﻮ‬Xْ ‫ي ٰﺑﺮ‬ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۤۡ

u ‫ي ا ْﺳ ٰﺮي ﺑﻌ ْﺒﺪ ٖه ﻟ ۡﻴ ًﻼ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ اﻟﺤﺮام ا اﻟﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ اﻻﻗﺼﺎ‬
ۡ \‫ا‬ ‫ﺳ ْﺒ ٰﺤﻦ‬
\‫ا‬

ۡ ۡ ۡ ٗ
﴾ ۱﴿ ‫اﻟﺴﻤﻴﻊ اﻟﺒﺼﲑ‬ ٰ ْٰ ٗ
‫ﻫ ﻮ‬ ‫ اﻧﻪ‬MN‫ﻟ ﻨﺮﻳ ﻪ ﻣﻦ اﻳﺘ ﻨﺎ‬
“Glory be to the Being who had taken His (special) servant in (a little part of) the
night from Masjidul-Haraam to Masjidul-Aqsa the environs of which We had
blessed. (The actual aim of this was) to show him from Our signs (some of which are
mentioned in Surah Najm like journeying to Sidratul-Muntahaa, witnessing Jannah
and Jahannam and other divine phenomena). Verily, He (Allah Ta’ala) is all-
hearing, all-seeing.” [Surah Israa verse 1]
One night Rasulullah  was lying down in Umme Haani’s house. He just
dozed off when the roof of the house suddenly split open. Through this gap,
Jibraa’eel  accompanied by other angels descended upon Rasulullah
. They woke him up and took him to Masjidul-Haraam. As he reached
there, he went into the Hateem area and fell asleep. Jibraa’eel  and Mikaa’eel
 woke him up again and took him to the well of Zam Zam. There they laid
him down and split his chest open. They extracted his blessed heart and rinsed it
with the water of Zam Zam. A tray containing Imaan and wisdom was then
brought to him. Implanting this Imaan and wisdom into his blessed heart, they
restored the heart to its original position and resealed his chest. They then inscribed
the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades. (This was a physical symbol
of Rasulullah  being the seal of all divine messengers.)
The Buraaq was then brought before him. Buraaq is actually the name of a
celestial animal that is smaller than a mule but bigger than a donkey. It was white
in colour and it was so fast that one step would fall as far as the eye could see.
When Rasulullah  mounted this animal, it fell into a state of energetic
friskiness. Jibraa’eel  reproached: “O Buraaq! Why this friskiness? To this
day, not a single servant of Allah more honourable than Muhammad ()
has mounted you.” Buraaq almost kneeled over in shame. It then set off with
Rasulullah . Jibraa’eel  and Mikaa’eel  also accompanied
Rasulullah  on this animal.
According to certain narrations, Jibraa’eel Ameen  assisted Rasulullah
 in mounting Buraaq after which he himself took a seat behind
Rasulullah .
Shaddaad bin Aws  narrates that Rasulullah  related: “En
route we came across a land with numerous date-palms. Jibraa’eel  asked me
Chapter 7 127
to descend and perform Nafl Salaah. I dismounted and performed Salaah. Jibraa’eel
 then enquired: ‘Do you have any idea where you performed Salaah?’ I
replied: ‘I have absolutely no idea.’ Jibraa’eel  said: ‘You performed Salaah in
Yasrib (Madinah Tayyibah) where you are going to migrate.’ We then set off once
again when we passed another area. Jibraa’eel  asked me to alight and
perform Salaah here as well. I dismounted and performed Salaah. Jibraa’eel 
informed me: ‘You performed Salaah in the valley of Saynaa near the tree of Musa
 where Allah Ta’ala spoke to Musa .’ We then passed another area
where I was again instructed to perform Salaah. I dismounted once again and
performed Salaah. Jibraa’eel  informed me that I had just performed Salaah
in Madyan (the native land of Shu‘aib ). We set off once again until we came
to another area where Jibraa’eel  asked me to dismount and perform Salaah.
I alighted from the animal and performed Salaah. Jibraa’eel  informed me
that this place is called Baitul-Lahm (Bethlehem) where ‘Isa  was born.”
The Marvels of this Celestial journey

Whilst Rasulullah  was on this celestial voyage, he came across an old
woman who called out to him. Jibraa’eel  advised Rasulullah  to
proceed ahead without taking any heed of her in the least. As he proceeded, he
came across an old man who also called out to him. Hadhrat Jibraa’eel 
again advised Rasulullah  to move on. As he proceeded further,
Rasulullah  came across a group of people who greeted him thus:
‫م عليك يا حاش‬K‫ الس‬،‫م عليك يا اخر‬K‫ الس‬،‫م عليك يا اول‬K‫الس‬

“Assalaamu ‘Alayka Yaa Awwal, Assalaamu ‘Alayka Yaa Aakhir, Assalaamu
‘Alayka Yaa Haashir.”
Jibraa’eel  asked Rasulullah  to respond to their Salaam. He then
explained to him, “The old woman you caught sight of at the roadside is actually
the dunya (the world). The remaining age of this world is now limited to the
remaining life span of this old woman. The old man you noticed was actually
shaytaan. Both of them aspire to incline you towards them. The group that greeted
you with Salaam comprised of Hadhrat Ibraaheem , Hadhrat Musa 
and Hadhrat ‘Isa .”
Rasulullah  said: “On the night of my ascension (to the heavens) I
passed Musa  who was standing engaged in Salaah in his grave.”
According to the narration of Ibn ‘Abbaas , Rasulullah  said:

“On the night of Mi’raaj, I caught sight of Musa , Dajjaal and the
superintendent of Jahannam whose name is Maalik.”
En route, Rasulullah  also came across a group of people with copper
fingernails. They were busy scraping the skin of their faces and chests with these
copper fingernails. When asked about these people, Jibraa’eel  replied:
“These are the people who consume the flesh of others.” In other words, they
backbite and vilify others.
Rasulullah  also witnessed a person swimming in a river. He was
busy consuming morsels of stones. When Rasulullah  asked about this
man, Jibraa’eel  replied: “This man is a consumer of interest.”
Rasulullah  also came across a group of people who, during the
course of just one day, could sow their land and harvest the crop. The field would
then revert to its original condition. When Rasulullah  asked about this,
Jibraa’eel  replied: “These are people who wage Jihaad in the path of Allah.
Their good deeds are multiplied seven hundred fold. Whatever they spend, Allah
Ta’ala recompenses them with a far better substitute.”
Rasulullah  then passed a group of people whose heads were being
crushed by boulders. Each time the heads were crushed, they would revert to their
normal condition. This cycle continued ceaselessly. When Rasulullah 
enquired about these people, Jibraa’eel  replied: “These are people who are
indifferent towards their Fard Salaah.”
He then came across a group of people whose anterior and posterior private
parts were wrapped in rags and they were grazing like camels and oxen. Rasulullah
 asked who they were. Jibraa’eel  replied: “These are people who
do not pay Zakaat on their wealth.”
Rasulullah  then came across a group of people in front of whom
were two cauldrons. One contained cooked flesh and the other cauldron contained
raw and decomposing flesh. These people were consuming the decomposing flesh
without partaking of any of the wholesome cooked flesh. Rasulullah 
asked: “Who are these people?” Jibraa’eel  replied: “These people are made
up of men of your Ummah who, in spite of having Halaal and decent women
available to them, spend the entire night with adulteresses and women of loose
morals, and this group is made up of women who leave their Halaal and decent
husbands to pass the night with adulterers and unchaste men.”
Rasulullah  then came across a pole positioned on a main road. It
slashed or hacked up clothing or anything else that happened to come close to it.
When Rasulullah  asked Jibraa’eel  about this, he replied: “This is
the image of people who lie in wait at the roadsides and plunder the property of
passers-by.”
Chapter 7 129
Then Rasulullah  happened to pass a man who had amassed a huge

pile of sticks. Although he was unable to bear this huge burden, he was nonetheless
fetching more and more sticks and adding to the burden. When Rasulullah
 asked what this signified, Jibraa’eel  replied: “This is a man of
your Ummah who is burdened by numerous rights and responsibilities which he is
unable to execute but notwithstanding this, he continues saddling himself with
even more obligations.”
He then came across a group of people whose tongues and lips were being
sheared by iron scissors. As soon as their lips and tongues were sheared off, they
reverted intact to their original condition. This cycle continued relentlessly without
any sign of termination. When Rasulullah  asked about this, Jibraa’eel
 said: “These are the preachers of your Ummah (who befit the verse ‘they
preach what they do not do’),” in other words, they preach to others but fail to
practise themselves.
Thereafter Rasulullah  passed an area with appealing fragrances and
cool breezes. Jibraa’eel  informed him that this was the fragrance of Jannah
(paradise). They then passed an area reeking of repulsive odours. Jibraa’eel 
said that this was the stench of Jahannam (hell).
Baitul-Muqaddas
Rasulullah  arrived at Baitul-Muqaddas in this splendour and dismounted
from the Buraaq. Rasulullah  tied the animal to the iron loop on which
all the previous Ambiyaa  tethered their animals.
Thereafter Rasulullah  entered Masjidul-Aqsa and offered two
Rakaat (of Tahiyyatul-Masjid).
On this auspicious occasion of Rasulullah’s  advent, the other
Ambiyaa  were already awaiting his arrival in the Masjid. Hadhrat
Ibraaheem  and Hadhrat Musa  were also amongst the luminaries
awaiting Rasulullah .
Barely a few moments passed when a number of people happened to assemble
in Masjidul-Aqsa. A Muazzin called out the Azaan followed by the Iqaamah. Now
the entire congregation was waiting to see who would lead them in prayer?
Jibraa’eel  held Rasulullah  by the hand and led him forward.
Rasulullah  says: “I led all of them in Salaah. When I completed the
Salaah, Jibraa’eel  asked me if I knew whom I led in Salaah. When I replied
in the negative, he said: ‘All the prophets who were commissioned before you,
every single one of them offered Salaah behind you.’”
According to another narration, even the angels descended from the skies
upon this momentous advent of Rasulullah . Rasulullah  then
led all the Ambiyaa  and the angels in Salaah.
Upon the termination of the Salaah, the angels asked Jibraa’eel : “Who
is this companion with you?” Jibraa’eel  replied: “This is Muhammad
, the seal of all divine messengers.” The angels asked: “Is he already
commissioned as a messenger?” When Jibraa’eel  replied in the affirmative,
the angels commented: “May Allah keep him alive and well. He is a wonderful
brother and vicegerent.” In other words, he is our brother and the vicegerent of
Allah Ta’ala.
Thereafter Rasulullah  met with the souls of the Ambiyaa .
Each one of them praised and glorified Allah Ta’ala in his distinctive manner.
Glorification of Ibraaheem :
Ibraaheem  praised Allah Ta’ala in the following words:

ّٰ
‫ واعطان ملك عظيما وجعلن امة‬K‫ الي اتذن خلي‬4 ‫المد‬
ّ ‫قانتا يؤتم ب وانقذن من الار وجعلها‬
‫ما‬K‫< بردا و س‬
“All praises are due to Allah Who had adopted me as His Khalil (bosom friend) and
granted me great authority, and Who has rendered me an obedient leader who is
adhered to and has saved me from the fire by making it cool and safe for me.”
Glorification of Musa :
ّٰ
‫ك ال فرعون وناة بن‬K‫ الي كمن تكليما وجعل ه‬4 ‫المد‬
‫اسائيل < يدي وجعل من امت قوما يهدون بالق وبه يعدلون‬
“All praises are due to Allah Who had spoken to me directly without an
intermediary, Who had destroyed Fir‘awn and rescued the Bani Israa’eel at my
hands and Who had made such people from my Ummah who guide towards the
truth and with the truth do they mete out justice.”
Chapter 7 131
Glorification of Dawood :
ّٰ
‫ن ¯ الديد‬O‫ الي جعل ¯ ملك عظيما وعلمن الزبور وا‬4 ‫المد‬
‫وسخر ¯ البال يسبحن والطي واعطان الكمة وفصل الطاب‬
“All praises are due to Allah Who had granted me great authority, taught me the
Psalms, made iron easily flexible for me, made the mountains and birds subservient
to me in that they chant His praises, and had granted me wisdom and a sound
faculty of judgement.”
Glorification of Sulaymaan :
ّٰ
‫ الي سخر ¯ الرياح وسخرل الشياطي يعملون ما شئت‬4 ‫المد‬
‫من ماريب و تماثيل وجفان كلواب وقدور راسيات وعلمن منطق‬
‫نس‬O‫ وسخر ¯ جنود الشياطي وا‬K‫الطي واتان من ك شء فض‬
O ‫والطي و فضلن < كثي من عباده المؤمني وأتان ملك عظيما‬
‫حد من بعدي وجعل ملك ملك طيبا ليس فيه حساب‬O ‫ينبغ‬
“All praises are due to Allah Who had rendered the winds subservient to me, He
made the shayaateen submissive to my commandments; they did work as I wished
by making high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs and cauldrons fixed (in
their places), who has taught me the language of the birds, who has blessed me with
every grace, who has rendered the armies of the Shayaateen, humankind and birds
all submissive to me, who had favoured me over a number of His faithful servants,
who had granted me a grand supremacy, which is inappropriate for anyone after
me and who has made this supremacy an admirable one for which there is no
reckoning.”
Glorification of ‘Isa :
ّٰ
‫ الي جعلن كمة وجعل مثل مثل ادم خلقه من تراب ثم‬4 ‫المد‬
‫نيل‬O‫قال ل كن فيكون وعلمن الكتاب والكمة والوراة وا‬
ّٰ
4‫اخلق من الطي كهيئة الطي فانفخ فيه فيكون طيا باذن ا‬
ّٰ
‫ و رفعن‬4‫برص واحي الموت باذن ا‬O‫كمه وا‬O‫وجعلن ابرئ ا‬
‫وظهرن و اعذن و ام من الشيطان الرجيم فلم يكن للشيطان‬
‫علينا سبيل‬
“All praises are due to Allah Who had made me (His) word, who had created me
like Aadam  (without a father), He created him from sand and commanded
the mould: ‘be’ and it came into existence, who taught me the book, wisdom, the
Taurah and Injeel, who bestowed me with the ability to form the figures of birds in
which I breathe and they turn into birds by the will of Allah, who had also bestowed
on me the miracle to heal the one born blind and the lepers and the miracle to bring
the dead to life with the command of Allah, who had elevated me and protected my
mother and I from the accursed shaytaan so that he (shaytaan) has no hold over
us.”
Glorification of Rasulullah :
ّٰ
‫ الي ارسلن رحة للعالمي وكفة للناس بشيا ونذيرا‬4 ‫المد‬
‫وانزل < الفرقان فيه بيان لك شء وجعل امت خي امة اخرجت‬
‫خرون وشح ¯ صدري و وضع‬O‫ولون وا‬O‫للناس وجعل امت هم ا‬
‫عن وزري و رفع ¯ ذكري وجعلن فاتا و خاتما‬
“All praises are due to Allah who has sent me as a source of mercy unto the world
and to all the people as a warner and a heralder (of glad tidings), who has revealed
upon me the Furqaan in which there is an explanation of everything, who has made
my Ummah the best of nations, my Ummah is the first (as far as its status) and the
last (in terms of its emergence in this world), who has opened my chest and purged
me of my burdens, who has elevated my status and who has made me an opener (by
creating me spiritually before everyone else) and a seal (by creating my physical
form and making me the seal of all the prophets).”
When Rasulullah  completed his address on the glorification of Allah
Ta’ala, Ibraaheem  rose and addressed the other Ambiyaa  saying:
Chapter 7 133
ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫بهذا افضلكم ممد صل ا‬
“Due to these virtues and merits, Muhammad has surpassed you.”
When Rasulullah  emerged from the Masjid, three cups were presented
before him. One contained water, the other milk and the third contained wine.
Rasulullah  chose the cup of milk. Upon this Jibraa’eel 
commented: “You have chosen Deenul-Fitrah (the natural Deen). Had you chosen
wine, your Ummah would have gone astray and had you chosen the cup with the
water, your Ummah would have drowned.”
According to some narrations, a cup of honey was also presented to him. He
partook a bit of this as well.
Ascension to the Heavens

Subsequent to this, Rasulullah , in the company of Jibraa’eel  and
other honourable angels embarked on their ascension to the heavens. According to
some narrations, Rasulullah  ascended the skies mounted upon the
Buraaq animal similar to the preceding leg of the journey. However, according to
some narrations, after his emergence from Masjidul-Aqsa, Rasulullah 
ascended the skies with the aid of a ladder studded with gems and emeralds with
the entourage of angels on either side of him.
Abu Sa’eed Khudri  said that he heard Rasulullah  saying:
“When I concluded my rituals at Masjidul-Aqsa, a ladder was brought before me. I
have never set eyes on a ladder more beautiful than this ladder. This is the same
ladder that enables the souls of people to climb to the heavens and it is the same
ladder that a dying person casts his gaze upon when he is about to breathe his last.
My travelling companion Jibraa’eel hoisted me upon this ladder (and I continued
ascending) until I reached one of the doors of heaven, which is referred to as ‘the
door of the Hafazah.”
Meeting the Ambiyaa 
In this majestic manner, Rasulullah  reached the first heaven. Jibraa’eel

 requested to be let in. The overseer of the first heaven enquired: “Who is
with you?”
“Muhammad Rasulullah  is with me,” he replied.
“Was he invited over here?” he asked.
When Jibraa’eel  replied in the affirmative, the angels warmly
welcomed him and opened the door for him. Rasulullah  entered the
porch of the first heaven where he came across a rather elderly man. Jibraa’eel
 revealed: “This is your father Aadam . Go ahead! Make Salaam to

him.” Rasulullah  made Salaam to him. He affectionately responded to
the Salaam and added: “Marhabaa! Welcome to a pious son and a pious Prophet.”
He then went on to make dua for Rasulullah .
Whilst meeting him, Rasulullah’s  glance fell on some figures on
Hadhrat Aadam’s  right and some on his left. When Aadam  glanced
to the figures on his right, he would smile in delight and when he cast his gaze to
the figures on his left, he would weep in sorrow. Jibraa’eel  revealed: “The
figures on his right represent his pious children, those destined for Jannah. When
he casts his eyes towards them he is pleased. The figures on his left represent his
evil children, those who are doomed to Jahannam. He weeps in anguish when he
casts his eyes upon them.”
Then Rasulullah  ascended the second heaven. In the same manner,
Jibraa’eel  requested to be let in. When the overseer asked who was with
him, Jibraa’eel  replied: “Muhammad Rasulullah  is with me.”
“Was he invited?” he asked.
When Jibraa’eel  replied in the affirmative, the overseer commented:
“Welcome! Welcome to such a majestic guest.” Here on this level, Rasulullah
 saw Hadhrat Yahya  and Hadhrat ‘Isa .
Jibraa’eel  ushered him into their company saying: “Here, this is Yahya
 and ‘Isa . Go on, make Salaam to them.” Rasulullah  went
up to them and offered his Salaam to both of them. They replied to his Salaam and
remarked: “Welcome to a pious brother and a pious Prophet.”
Thereafter Rasulullah  ascended the third heaven and here again
Jibraa’eel  asked to be let in as mentioned previously. Here Rasulullah
 met Yusuf  and as per the previous occasions, Rasulullah
 made Salaam etc. with him. Rasulullah , (whilst relating this
event) commented: “Yusuf  was bestowed with immense handsomeness.”
Thereafter Rasulullah  visited the fourth heaven where he met
Hadhrat Idrees . He then proceeded to the fifth heaven where he met
Hadhrat Haroon . From there, he ascended to the sixth heaven where he met
Hadhrat Musa , then to the seventh heaven where he met Hadhrat
Ibraaheem . He spotted him resting his back against the Baitul-Ma‘mur. The
Baitul-Ma‘mur is the Qiblah of the angels and falls directly in line with the Ka‘bah.
If, hypothetically speaking, the Baitul-Ma‘mur had to come crashing down; it
would fall directly onto the Ka‘bah. Seventy thousand angels make Tawaaf of this
Baitul-Ma‘mur every single day never to get another chance again.
Jibraa’eel  informed Rasulullah  that this is his father and he
should make Salaam with him. Rasulullah  went ahead and made Salaam
Chapter 7 135
with him. Ibraaheem  replied to the Salaam and remarked: “Welcome to a

pious son and to a pious Prophet.”
Sidratul-Muntaha:
Following this meeting with Ibraaheem , Rasulullah  was raised to
the Sidratul-Muntaha. This is a lotus tree towering above the seventh heaven.
Whatever rises from the earth stops at Sidratul-Muntaha (the lotus-tree of the outer
extremity), and from this point onwards, it is raised further into the heavens. On
the other hand, whatever descends from the Malaul-A‘laa first descends upon
Sidratul-Muntaha and from there it descends further to the other heavens and
beyond, thus the name Sidratul-Muntaha.
At this very location, Rasulullah  beheld Jibraa’eel  in his
original form. He also witnessed some strange and amazing celestial radiances of
Allah Ta’ala. He also saw innumerable angels and golden moths hovering about the
Sidratul-Muntaha.
Observation of Jannah and Jahannam:

Jannah is in close proximity to Sidratul-Muntaha. The Holy Qur-aan depicts:
‫عند سدرة المنته عندها جنة الماوى‬

“At Sidratul-Muntaha, near it is the abode of Jannah.”
This is why Abu Sa’eed Khudri’s  narration mentions that after his
performance of Salaah in Baitul-M‘amur, Rasulullah  was elevated to
Sidratul-Muntaha. From Sidratul-Muntaha, Rasulullah  was raised to
Jannah. After his visit to Jannah, Jahannam was presented before him. In other
words, the horrors of Jahannam were laid bare to him.
Rasulullah  says: “I reached Sidratul-Muntaha where I beheld
astounding colours and incredible embellishments. I have no idea what they were. I
was then admitted into Jannah where the domes were constructed from
(mammoth-sized) pearls and the soil was of musk.”
Sareeful-Aqlaam - The Site of the Scratching of the Pens:

Thereafter Rasulullah  ascended even further where he was able to
perceive the sounds made by the pens (recording predestination). The sound
produced by the scratching of these pens of predestination is referred to as
Sareeful-Aqlaam. This is the location where the pens of fate are engaged in
recording everything that is to transpire in the future. The angels were busy
transcribing the divine edicts and religious commandments from the Lawh-e-
Mahfooz (the preserved tablet).
Divine Proximity - (Celestial vision, divine conversation and the

conferral of sacred edicts)
From Sareeful-Aqlaam, Rasulullah  traversed through a number of
concealed realms until he finally arrived in the sacred presence of Allah Ta’ala. It is
said that a Rafraf (a green silken seat) was provided for his conveyance. Rasulullah
 mounted this seat and was thus conveyed to the closest of the celestial
realms before the majesty of Allah Ta’ala.
When Rasulullah  reached this area of ‘close proximity’, he fell into
Sajdah. Here he caught sight of the magnificence of the radiance of Allah Ta’ala
from beyond the divine screen and without any intermediary he was honoured to
converse directly with Allah Ta’ala.
Rasulullah  said: “I caught sight of the greatest of (divine radiances).
Thereafter Allah Ta’ala communicated whatever He wished to communicate to
me.”
Rasulullah  was blessed with setting eyes on Allah Ta’ala and
communicating with Him directly without any intermediary between them.
Allah Ta’ala conversed with Rasulullah  and endowed him with
three gifts on this great occasion; the first gift was made up of the five daily Salaah;
the second gift was the closing verses of Surah Baqarah, which includes the mercy,
affection, ease and forgiveness of Allah Ta’ala upon this Ummah and it focuses
upon victory and assistance to the Muslims against the disbelievers. Although these
verses are in the form of duas, the verses are more of an educative and enlightening
nature. It is as though Allah Ta’ala is enlightening this Ummah in these closing
verses that they should make a point of imploring Allah Ta’ala and He will respond
to their duas.
َ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ
‫الطل َبا‬ ‫م ِۡن فيض ُجودك ما علمتنا‬ ‫َول ۡو ل ۡم ت ِرد ن ۡيل َما ن ۡرجو و ن ۡطل ُبه‬
If You had no intention to bestow upon us from Your oceans of grace, You wouldn’t
have enlightened us on the method of begging from You.
In other words, You wouldn’t have even informed us of what to beg of You.
The third gift awarded to Rasulullah  on this night was that Allah
Ta’ala would pardon the major sins of any Ummati who does not ascribe partners
unto Him. In other words, Allah Ta’ala will not condemn a perpetrator of major
sins to eternal hellfire, as He would do to the disbelievers. Some of them will be
pardoned through the intercession of the Ambiyaa . Others will be forgiven
due to the intercession of the noble angels whilst others will be forgiven solely by
Chapter 7 137
the mercy and grace of Almighty Allah. Any person whose heart embraces even an
iota of faith (Imaan) will, in due course, be released from Jahannam.
According to a lengthy Hadith of Abu Hurayrah , during the course of
his conversation with Allah Ta’ala, Rasulullah  was addressed by Allah
Ta’ala thus:
‫ وحبيبا وارسلتك ا¯ الاس كفة بشيا‬K‫فقال ل ربه قد اتذتك خلي‬

‫ونذيرا و شحت لك صدرك و وضعت عنك وزرك و رفعت لك‬
‫ذكرت مع وجعلت امتك خي امة اخرجت للناس‬O‫ اذكر ا‬K‫ذكرك ف‬
‫خرين وجعلت‬O‫ولي وا‬O‫وجعلت امتك وسطا وجعلت امتك هم ا‬
‫من امتك اقواما قلوبهم اناج لهم وجعلتك اول البيي خلقا‬
‫واخرهم بعثا واعطيتك سبعا من المثان لم اعطها نبيا قبلك‬
‫واعطيتك خواتيم سورة القرة من كن تت العرش لم اعطها نبيا‬
‫م والهجرة‬K‫س‬O‫قبلك واعطيتك الكوثر واعطيتك ثمانية اسهم ا‬
‫مر بالمعروف واله‬O‫ة والصدقة وصوم رمضان وا‬K‫والهاد والص‬
‫عن المنكر وجعلتك فاتا و خاتما ا¯ اخر الديث اخرجه ابن‬
ّٰ
‫ عنه بطول‬4‫ساء عن اب هريرة رض ا‬O‫جرير ف تفسي سورة ا‬
‫كذا ف الصائص الكبى‬
“I have adopted you as my Khalil (bosom friend) and Habib (beloved). I have sent
you to all the peoples of the world as a Basheer (presenter of glad tidings) and as a
Nazeer (warner). I have opened your breast for you, I have relieved you of your
burden and I have elevated your mention. My oneness is not mentioned but with
you as My slave. I have made your Ummah the best of Ummahs that was ever
raised from the people. I have declared your Ummah as the most just and moderate
Ummah. I have rendered your Ummah as the first (in terms of its virtue) and last
(in terms of its appearance in this world). I have made from your Ummah a group
of people whose hearts contain the Injeel. (In other words, the divine words of the
Qur-aan will be etched onto their hearts.) I have made you the first Prophet in terms
of the creation of your Nur and the last Prophet in terms of your commission. I have
awarded you the Sab‘ul-Mathaani (Surah Fatihah), which I had not given to any
messenger prior to you. I have bestowed upon you the closing verses of Surah
Baqarah from the treasures beneath the divine throne, which I had not bestowed to
any messenger prior to you. I have granted you the Kauthar (the pond), and I have
bestowed your Ummah with eight distinctive merits; Islam, Hijrah, Salaah, Sadaqah
(charity), Saum of Ramadhaan, Amr bil M‘aroof (enjoining good) and Nahy ‘anil-
Munkar (forbidding evil). I made you a Faatih (opener or forerunner to the
Ambiyaa) and Khaatam (seal of all the Prophets)…..”
In short, Allah Ta’ala bestowed Rasulullah  with many bounties and
blessed him with many glad tidings and awarded him with distinctive injunctions
and directives. One of the most significant directives issued to Rasulullah
 was the obligation to observe fifty daily Salaahs. Accepting all these
directives and injunctions with delight, Rasulullah  turned back to return
to this earth. On his return journey, he met Hadhrat Ibraaheem . He made
no comment about these injunctions of Salaah, etc.,.
“Thereafter I passed Musa  who asked me what I was commanded
with. I replied: ‘During the day and night, fifty Salaahs have been prescribed for
us.’ Musa  remarked: ‘I have a great deal of experience with the Bani
Israa’eel. Your Ummah is far weaker; they will be unable to cope with this
commandment. So return to your Lord and request him to reduce this
obligation.’” Rasulullah  returned to Allah and requested Him to
reduce the number of Salaahs. Allah Ta’ala reduced it by five. When Rasulullah
 passed Musa  again, he posed the same question. Once more
he requested Rasulullah  to beg for a reduction in this obligation. This
going back and forth ensued a number of times until just five daily Salaah
remained. Even then, Musa  pleaded with Rasulullah  to return
to Allah and get yet another reduction. Rasulullah  replied: “I have
requested a reduction a number of times already. Now I am embarrassed to
approach Him for a further reduction.” Saying this Rasulullah 
continued ahead. A voice from the unseen then called out: “These are five but
equivalent to fifty.” That is, these are just five Salaah but the reward of these
five Salaah is equal to fifty Salaah. “And My verdict will not be altered. This
obligation of just five Salaah was predetermined within My knowledge.”
In the same order, Rasulullah  returned from the heavens and landed
first at Baitul-Muqaddas. From here he mounted the Buraaq and reached Makkah
before the break of dawn. The same morning, he recounted this incident to the
Quraysh. They, as expected, were left flabbergasted in disbelief. Some of them held
their hands over their heads in exasperation whilst others scornfully started
clapping their hands. They scoffed at him and exclaimed: “How can he possibly go
Chapter 7 139
to Baitul-Muqaddas and return in just one night!” In order to test him, those who
had been to Baitul-Muqaddas started throwing questions at him about the
distinguishing features of Baitul-Muqaddas. The instant they started interrogating
him, Allah Ta’ala brought Baitul-Muqaddas right before his very eyes and he
continued responding to their questions. Now when all their questions pertaining
to Baitul-Muqaddas were exhausted, they asked: “Okay, tell us some incident about
the road leading to Baitul-Muqaddas.” Rasulullah  replied: “On my way I
came across a trade caravan at a certain place that was returning to Makkah from
Syria. They lost one camel and later retrieved it. Insha Allah, this trade caravan
should reach Makkah within three days. Leading the way would be a khaki-
coloured camel laden with two sacks of goods.”
Accordingly, on the third day, this caravan entered Makkah in precisely the
same manner as foretold by Rasulullah  and they also narrated the
incident of the lost camel. On seeing and hearing this, Waleed bin Mughirah
dismissed the whole incident by declaring: “This is nothing but sorcery.” The
people also concurred with him saying: “Yes, Waleed is speaking the truth.”
Stalling the Sun

Rasulullah  informed the Quraysh that the trade caravan that was
returning from Syria would be in Makkah by Wednesday evening before sunset.
However, by Wednesday evening the caravan failed to make an appearance and
the sun was about to set. Rasulullah  made dua unto Allah Ta’ala. Allah
Ta’ala delayed the setting of the sun for a little while until the caravan entered
Makkah the same evening before sunset, in accordance with Rasulullah’s 
prophesy.
According to the scholars of Seerat, this miracle is referred to as the miracle of
Habsush-Shams (the stalling of the sun). Shaikh Taqiyyud-Deen Subki  says:
ۡ َ ََۡ ۡ ۡ َََ َ َ ۡ َ َۡ ُّ َ
ِ‫ت بَل َوافقتك ب ِ َوق ِفه‬ ‫فما غرب‬ ‫َوش ۡم ُس الض ٰح َطاعتك عِن َد َمغ ِۡيبِ َها‬
“The setting sun complied with you, it did not set but it submitted to you by you
stalling it.”
In this manner Allah Ta’ala confirmed the truthfulness of Rasulullah .
The Quraysh witnessed his honesty with their very own eyes. They heard the truth
with their very own ears but they remained committed to their obstinacy and
refutation of the truth. They were bent on rebelling against the truth. Some of them
went to Abu Bakr  and said: “Your friend, Muhammad (Rasulullah
) says that he went to Baitul-Maqdis last night and returned before dawn.
Do you believe him?” Abu Bakr  asked: “Did Muhammad  say
that?” When they replied in the affirmative, Abu Bakr  declared: “Then it has
to be the truth. I wholeheartedly believe in whatever he says. In fact, day and night
I believe in the heavenly news he conveys to us which is even beyond that.” From
that moment on, he was conferred with the title of Siddeeq.
On the second heaven, Rasulullah  met Hadhrat ‘Isa  and
Hadhrat Yahya .
It appears in the Hadith:
‫انا اقرب الاس بعيس بن مريم ليس بين و بينه نب‬

“From all the Ambiyaa, I am closest to ‘Isa bin Maryam; there is no prophet between
him and me.”
Furthermore, towards the latter times, Hadhrat ‘Isa  will descend from the
skies to kill Dajjaal. Within Ummat-e-Muhammadiyyah he will implement the
Shari‘ah of Muhammad Rasulullah  as a revivalist. On the day of
Qiyaamah, Hadhrat ‘Isa  will appear before Rasulullah  with the
entire creation, from beginning to end, and he will request Rasulullah  to
initiate the process of intercession before Allah Ta’ala. For this reason, Rasulullah
 was made to meet Hadhrat ‘Isa . Hadhrat Yahya 
accompanying Hadhrat ‘Isa  on this occasion was merely due to their close
family relationship. They were maternal cousins. (Their mothers were sisters.) This
meeting denoted the relentless harassment of the Jews. The Jews would leave no
stone unturned in frustrating him and they would devise a range of plans to
assassinate him. However, just as Allah Ta’ala protected Hadhrat ‘Isa  from
their wicked schemes, similarly Allah Ta’ala would protect Rasulullah 
also from their evils.
On the third heaven he met Hadhrat Yusuf . This meeting implied that
like Yusuf , Rasulullah  will also suffer at the hands of his brothers
but he will ultimately prevail over them and forgive them their wrongs. On the day
of the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah  addressed the Quraysh in the
same manner as Yusuf  addressed his brothers when he said:
َ ۡ ‫اح‬
ِ ‫الر‬ ُ َ ُ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ
َّ ‫ك ۡم َو ُه َو ا َ ۡر َح ُم‬
‫ِي اذهبوا‬ ‫ ل‬4‫ تثِيب عليكم الوم يغفِر ا‬O
‫فانتم الطلقاء اي العتقاء‬
“Today there is no blame upon you. May Allah forgive you. He is the most
affectionate of all the merciful. Go on! You are free.”
Furthermore, when the Ummah of Rasulullah  will enter Jannah, they
will all be as handsome as Hadhrat Yusuf .
Chapter 7 141
Rasulullah’s  meeting with Hadhrat Idrees  signified that

Rasulullah  will despatch letters of invitation to Islam to the rulers of the
world because Hadhrat Idrees  was the pioneer of letter writing. Also, in
regards to Hadhrat Idrees , Allah Ta’ala declares: “And We raised him up to
an elevated rank.” Meeting him was an indication that Allah Ta’ala will bestow
Rasulullah  also with an elevated rank and majestic position. As a
consequence, even the emperor of Rome was left awestruck when he received the
letter of Rasulullah . As mentioned in Sahih Bukhaari, when Abu
Sufyaan left the emperor’s court, in amazement he remarked:
‫صفر‬O‫امر امر ابن اب كبشة حت ياف ملك بن ا‬

“The affair of the son of Abu Kabshah has developed into something so enormous
that even the king of the children of Asfar is alarmed by him.”
His meeting with Hadhrat Haroon  was an indication that just as Saamiri
and the calf-worshippers utterly defied Hadhrat Haroon  and they were
subsequently executed due to this apostasy, in the same way, on the day of Badr,
seventy Qurayshi leaders were slain and another seventy taken as prisoners. Also,
some members of the ‘Uraynah tribe were executed due to their apostasy.
Rasulullah’s  meeting with Hadhrat Musa  implied that just as
Hadhrat Musa  waged Jihaad against the Jabaarin in Syria and Allah Ta’ala
granted him victory over them, similarly, Rasulullah  will enter the
regions of Syria to wage Jihaad. Rasulullah  went towards Syria for the
expedition to Tabuk. There the leader of Dawmatul-Jundul begged Rasulullah
 for a truce on a promise of paying Jizyah (security tax levied on non-
Muslims living under Muslim rule). Rasulullah  consented to the truce.
And just as Syria was conquered after Hadhrat Musa  at the hands of
his successor Hadhrat Yush‘a , similarly, after the demise of Rasulullah
, Syria fell into Muslims hands during the Caliphate of Hadhrat ‘Umar
.
On the seventh heaven, Rasulullah  met Hadhrat Ibraaheem .
He saw him sitting with his back leaning on the Baitul-M‘amur. The Baitul-
M‘amur is actually a Masjid on the seventh heaven directly parallel to the K‘abah.
Seventy thousand angels make Tawaaf of this structure every day (and they do not
ever get a second chance to do so). Since Ibraaheem  is the builder of the
K‘abah, he was honoured with this distinction. This final meeting indicated to
Hajatul-Wadaa (the farewell Haj). It implied that Rasulullah  would
perform Haj before his demise from this world. According to the interpreters of
dreams, a vision of Hadhrat Ibraaheem  in one’s dream is a glad tiding of an
imminent Hajj.
Ibn Muneer says: “Up to this point, seven Mi’raajs (ascensions) took place. The
eighth ascension was up to Sidratul-Muntaha. This ascension was symbolic of the
forthcoming conquest of Makkah that occurred in the eighth year of Hijrah. The
ninth ascension took place from Sidratul-Muntaha to Sareeful-Aqlaam (the site of
the scratching of the pens). This ascension was a sign of the expedition of Tabuk
that occurred in the ninth year of Hijrah. The tenth ascension was the ascension on
the silken seat towards the location of the utmost divine proximity to Allah Ta’ala
where Rasulullah  heard the words of Allah Ta’ala. Since Rasulullah
 acquired Baqaa (spiritual immortality) in this tenth ascension, this was
an indication that in the tenth year of Hijrah Rasulullah  would leave this
world for the Liqaa (reunion) with Allah Ta’ala. He would depart from this world
to meet his Rafeeq-e-A‘laa (the greatest of companions).”
During his journey to the heavens, Rasulullah  found the divine
angels engaged in various positions of worship. Some of them with their hands
clasped together in the Qiyaam position. Some of them were in perpetual Ruk‘u
without raising their heads up. Some of them were in eternal Sajdah whilst others
were in perpetual Qu‘ood position. Allah Ta’ala drew all these positions into one
Rakaat for this Ummah so that the ‘Ibaadah of this Ummah is a consolidation of all
the various positions of Ibaadat of the angels. Furthermore, the Holy Qur-aan
reveals that everything sings the praise and glory of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ ‫ﻦ ﻻ ﺗ ْﻔﻘﻬ ۡﻮن ¼ ْﺴﺒ ۡﻴﺤ‬

MN$ ۡ ‫¡ء ا ﻻ ﺴﺒﺢ ﺑﺤ ْﻤﺪه وﻟ ٰﻜ‬ ۡ ۡ
ٍ ۡ ‫و ان ﻣﻦ‬
ٖ
“And there is nothing but it glorifies Him (Allah Ta’ala) with His praise but you do
not understand their glorification (Tasbeeh). [Surah Israa verse 44]
Every single thing in this universe is engaged in the Tasbeeh (glorification) of Allah
Ta’ala. Not a moment passes without them being engaged in his Tasbeeh.
Obviously, this Tasbeeh of the universe would not be all of the same nature. They
differ in their methods of Tasbeeh. The Tasbeeh of the trees and plants is in the
state of Qiyaam (standing posture). The Tasbeeh of the animals is in the state of
Ruk‘u and the Tasbeeh of the insects is in perpetual Sujood. Their heads are always
bowed to the earth in submission. The Tasbeeh of stones and other inanimate
objects is the position of Qu‘ood. In our Salaah, Allah Ta’ala has assembled all the
various types of Tasbeeh and Tahmeed.
Furthermore, man is created from the four basic elements. This is why his
Ibaadat also constitutes four basic postures of Qiyaam, Qu‘ood, Ruk‘u and Sujood.
Since there are five sources that initiate the ghaflat (negligence) of Allah Ta’ala –
i.e. the five senses – the five Salaah have been prescribed for every single day of the
year.
Chapter 8
Invitation to Islam during the days of Haj
When Rasulullah  realised that the Quraysh are stubbornly clinging onto
their aggression, he would himself go to the camping-grounds of the pilgrims who
would congregate at Makkah during the days of Haj and there he would invite
them towards Islam. He would advise them to support the true religion. He would
bid the people towards Tauheed, truth and sincerity. However, his uncle Abu
Lahab, whose actual name was ‘Abdul-’Uzza bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib would cast aside
all his other duties and trailing behind Rasulullah , he would proclaim:
“People! This man wants you to abandon Laat and ‘Uzza. He is tempting you
towards Bid‘ah (innovation) and misguidance. Don’t ever adhere to what he says.”
Nonetheless, Rasulullah  presented Islam to a number of tribes
inviting them to support and aid Islam. Some of them responded encouragingly
whilst others reacted harshly and unsympathetically. Some of them pledged their
support on condition they are appointed vicegerents upon his victory. Rasulullah
 replied: “That is not in my control. Allah Ta’ala appoints whomsoever
He wishes.” They retorted: “This is quite strange; we should fight side by side with
you sacrificing our lives in support of this cause, sticking out our necks, making our
chests a target of the arrows of the Arabs and when you are triumphant somebody
else is appointed your deputy!”
During this time, Rasulullah  also visited the tribe of Banu Zuhal bin
Shaybaan. Abu Bakr  and Ali  also accompanied him on this venture.
Mafrooq bin ‘Amr and Haani bin Qabisah were chieftains of this tribe. Abu Bakr
 addressed Mafrooq saying: “Haven’t you heard about the prophet-hood of
Rasulullah ? Here, this is the Prophet of Allah Ta’ala with me.” Mafrooq
replied: “Well, I have heard about him.” Addressing Rasulullah , he
asked: “O Qurayshi brother! What are you inviting people to?” Stepping ahead,
Rasulullah  answered: “Believe in Allah alone without ascribing any
143
partners unto Him and accept me as His Prophet and lend your support to His
religion. The Quraysh declined to accept the commandment of Allah. They have
falsified His Prophet and in their intoxication of falsehood they have become
independent of the truth. And Allah Ta’ala is the most independent.” In other
words, this independent being of Allah Ta’ala is absolutely not in need of you
embracing Deen. He really does not require your support and aid. Yes, if you are
concerned about your personal success, embrace the truth, accept the divine
guidance and repent from falsehood and deviation.
“Then what do you invite to?” asked Mafrooq. Rasulullah  recited
the following verses in response:
ۤ ْ
‫ﺣﺴﺎﻧًﺎ و ﻻ ﺗﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮا‬ ْ ‫ ۡﻮا ﺑﻪ ﺷ ۡﻴ ًﺌﺎ و ﺑﺎﻟْﻮاﻳۡﻦ ا‬X‫ﻞ ﺗﻌﺎﻟ ْﻮا اﺗْﻞ ﻣﺎ ﺣﺮم رﺑﻜ ْﻢ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻜ ْﻢ ا ﻻ ¼ ْﺸﺮ‬ ْ
‫ﻗ‬
ٖ

ْ ْ ْ ْ
‫ﺎﻫ ْﻢ و ﻻ ﺗﻘﺮﺑﻮا اﻟ ﻔﻮاﺣ ﺶ ﻣﺎ ﻇ ﻬﺮ ﻣﻨ ﻬﺎ و ﻣﺎ ﺑ ﻄﻦ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ و اﻳ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻧ ْﺮ زﻗ‬ ‫ ﻧﺤ‬M ‫ﻛ ۡﻢ ﻣ ْﻦ ا ْﻣ ﻼ ٍق‬ ْ
‫او ﻻ د‬

ْ
ۡ ْ ْ
﴾۱۵۱﴿ ‫ﻜﻢ ﺗﻌﻘﻠﻮن‬ ْ
‫ﻜﻢ ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻟﻌ ﻠ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ و ﺻ‬ٰ ْ ‫ ٰذﻟ‬M ‫« ﺣﺮم اﷲ ا ﻻ ﺑﺎﻟﺤ ﻖ‬ ۡ ‫و ﻻ ﺗ ْﻘﺘﻠﻮا اﻟﻨ ْﻔﺲ اﻟ‬

“Say (O Muhammad!) Come! I will recite what your Lord has made forbidden over
you; that you do not ascribe any partner unto Him, favourable relationship with the
parents, and that you do not kill your children out (of fear) of poverty – We sustain
you as well as them – and do not come close to evils – whether they are exposed or
veiled – and do not kill the being whom Allah has forbidden but for a just cause.
This is what He has commanded you to do so that you may understand.”
[Al-An‘aam verse 151]
After listening to the recitation of these verses, Mafrooq replied: “By Allah! This is
indisputably not the word of an earthly being.”
He further requested: “O Qurayshi brother! What do you summon people to?”
Rasulullah  responded by reciting the following verses:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ
ْ ‫اﻻ‬ ْ ْ ۡ
N‫ﻜﺮ و اﻟﺒﻐﻲ‬ ‫ﺣﺴﺎن و اﻳ ۡﺘﺂ ي ذي اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮ ٰ وﻳﻨ ٰﻬﻲ ﻋﻦ اﻟ ﻔﺤ ﺸﺂء واﻟ ﻤﻨ‬ ‫ا ن اﷲ ﻳﺎﻣﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺪل و‬

ۡ
﴾۹۰﴿ ‫ﻛﺮون‬ ‫ﻳﻌﻈﻜ ْﻢ ﻟﻌﻠﻜ ْﻢ ﺗﺬ‬

“Verily Allah ordains justice, Ihsaan (performance of good) and giving to the
relatives and He prohibits evils, repulsive deeds and injustice. He advises you so
that you may take heed.” [Surah Nahl verse 90]
With good grace, Mafrooq responded: “By Allah! You have invited towards
excellent character and outstanding actions but the problem is that I am a bit
reluctant to conclude an accord with you without consulting my people. I feel it
inappropriate to take such steps in their absence. I am uncertain about whether
they will sanction this accord or not. Furthermore, we fall within the royal
administrative control of Chosroe. We had assured him that we would not appoint
Chapter 8 145
any leader without consulting with him first. I am convinced that if we were to
enter into any accord with you, Chosroe would certainly treat this as an insult to
his authority.”
Delightfully approving of his frankness and truthfulness, Rasulullah 
said: “Allah Himself is the protector and assistant of His Deen. Those who support
the Deen of Allah, soon Allah Ta’ala will make them the heirs of the riches and
lands of Chosroe.”
Thereafter Rasulullah , grasping Abu Bakr’s  hand, rose from
this meeting and proceeded to meet the tribes of Aws and Khazraj of Madinah.
(Details of this meeting are coming up soon, Insha Allah.) These tribes
enthusiastically embraced Islam and pledged their unstinting support for the cause
of Islam.
Islam of Iyaas bin Mu‘aaz 
In the same year, Abul-Haysar Anas bin Raaf‘i came to Makkah with a few of his
friends in search of an ally amongst the Quraysh against the Khazraj tribe.
Amongst these youth was a man by the name of Iyaas bin Mu’aaz. When
Rasulullah  heard of their arrival, he went up to them and said: “I will
present before you something better than what you have come for.” Abul-Haysar
and his friends enquired: “What is that?” Rasulullah  replied: “I am the
messenger of Allah. Allah Ta’ala has commissioned me to summon His servants
towards Him and to worship Him without ascribing any partner unto Him. Allah
Ta’ala has also revealed a book upon me.” Rasulullah  then recited a few
verses of the Holy Qur-aan and presented them with Islam.
Iyaas bin Mu’aaz said: “People! This far outweighs what you have come for.”
Flinging a few pebbles on Iyaas’s face, Abul-Haysar retorted: “We have not
come here for this.” This silenced Iyaas. Thereafter Rasulullah  rose from
the meeting and this group returned to Madinah Munawwarah.
A few days later, Iyaas passed away. As he was breathing his last, words like
Laa ilaaha illallahu, Allahu Akbar, Subhaanallah and Alhamdulillah were spilling
over from his tongue. All those who were in attendance heard these words and this
left no doubt in their minds that he passed away as a Muslim.
The Inception of Islam in Madinah Munawwarah – 11th Year of

Prophethood
Most of the citizens of Madinah were made up of the Aws and Khazraj tribes who
were idol worshippers. Living amongst them were Jews as well, who were regarded
as people of the book. Since the Jews were in the minority in Madinah, whenever
they had a conflict with the Aws or Khazraj, the Jews would say: “Very soon the
final messenger is going to be commissioned to this earth. We will follow him. And
joining our forces with him, we will destroy you like the people of ‘Aad and Iram.”
During the days of Haj a few pilgrims of the Khazraj tribe arrived in Makkah.
This was the eleventh year of prophethood. Rasulullah  appeared before
them inviting them towards Islam. He also recited to them a few verses of the Holy
Qur-aan. The moment these people laid eyes on him they recognised him and
addressing one another they exclaimed: “By Allah! This is the very same Prophet
whom the Jews longingly talk about. Take heed! Let not the Jews beat you to this
good fortune and virtue.”
In this very meeting, this group embraced Islam before rising from their seats.
They then said: “O Prophet of Allah! We have embraced Islam and we believe in
you. The Jews and us are always at odds with one another. If you permit, may we
return and invite them to this religion of Islam as well? If they embrace Islam and
both of us live in harmony, nobody will be more dear to us than you.” (Rasulullah
 permitted them to invite them to Islam.)
These six fortunate men of the Khazraj tribe were:
1. As‘ad bin Zuraarah 
2. ‘Awf bin Haaris 
3. Raaf‘i bin Maalik 
4. Qutbah bin ‘Aamir 
5. Uqbah bin ‘Aamir 
6. Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Rabaab 
These six personalities took leave from Rasulullah  and returned to
Madinah. Whomsoever they met they couldn’t help but mention Rasulullah
. As a result, in Madinah, not a house nor meeting was devoid of the
mention of Rasulullah .
The First Pledge of the Ansaar – 12th year prophethood

In the following year, which was the twelfth year of prophethood, twelve people
came to Makkah to meet Rasulullah . Five of them were from the
abovementioned six people whilst another seven joined them. These seven people
are:
1. Mu’aaz bin Haaris  (brother of ‘Awf bin Haaris )
2. Zakwaan bin ‘Abduqays 
3. ‘Ubaadah bin Saamit 
Chapter 8 147
4. Yazeed bin S‘alabah 

5. ‘Abbaas bin ‘Ubaadah bin Nadlah 
6. Abul-Haysam Maalik bin Tayhaan 
7. ‘Uwaym bin Saa‘idah 
On this occasion, Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Rabaab  was not present (although
he was present on the first occasion as mentioned above).
These twelve personalities presented themselves before Rasulullah 
and at night in Mina they pledged their allegiance at the hands of Rasulullah
 just near a place called ‘Aqabah, hence the name of this allegiance,
Bay‘atul-‘Aqabah.
They pledged their allegiance not to ascribe partners unto Allah, to abstain
from theft, fornication, infanticide, false accusation and slander. This was the
foremost allegiance of the Ansaar, which is referred to as Bay‘atul-‘Aqabah Al-
Ulaa (the first allegiance at ‘Aqabah).
As this group was returning to Madinah Munawwarah after pledging their
allegiance, Rasulullah  despatched ‘Abdullah bin Ummu Maktoom 
and Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  with them to teach the people of Madinah the Holy
Qur-aan and the regulations of Islam. When they reached Madinah, they were
accommodated in the house of As‘ad bin Zuraarah .
Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  would invite the people towards Islam and lead
them in Salaah. He was their Imaam. One day, as he was delivering a sermon about
the magnificence of Islam in front of a huge crowd of people, Usaid bin Hudhair,
bearing a sword in hand, appeared before him and demanded: “What have you
come here for? Why are you misleading our women and children? It would be
better if you left this place!”
Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  replied: “Is it possible for you to sit down for a little
while and listen to what I have to say? If it pleases you, well and good otherwise
you may choose to withdraw.” Usaid replied: “Very well, this seems quite fair.” He
then took a seat. Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  portrayed the magnificence of Islam
and recited verses of the Holy Qur-aan before him. On hearing this, Usaid
remarked:
‫م واجله‬ð‫ما احسن هذا ال‬

“How beautiful and splendid are these words.”
He then enquired about the process of entering into the fold of Islam. Mus‘ab bin
‘Umair  replied: “Firstly, you should cleanse your body and clothing. Take a
bath. Recite the Kalimah Shahaadah and perform Salaah.”
Usaid right away stood up, cleaned his clothing, took a bath, recited the
Kalimah Shahaadah and offered two Rakaat of Salaah. He then said: “There is
another man – meaning S‘ad bin Mu’aaz, the chief of the Aws tribe – who, if he
embraces Islam, not a single member of the Aws tribe will remain unconverted. Let
me go and I will send him to you now.”
As S‘ad bin Mu’aaz saw Usaid bin Hudhair  approaching, he said: “The
Usaid returning does not seem like the same Usaid who left from here earlier on.”
As he drew closer, S‘ad asked Usaid: “What happened?” Usaid replied: “I did not
find anything objectionable in his (Mus‘ab’s) words.”
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz was thrown into a fit of rage and wielding his sword, he set
out for As‘ad bin Zuraarah’s home (the host of Mus‘ab ).
As he reached him, S‘ad fumed: “If it was not because of your family
relationship with me, if you were not my cousin I would have sorted you out with
this sword. Have you brought this man (Mus‘ab) here to deceive the people?”
Mus’ab replied: “S‘ad, is it possible for you to sit and listen to me for a few
moments? If you like what you hear you may accept it otherwise you are free to do
as you please.” “Okay,” replied S‘ad, “what you say is rather fair.” Saying this, he
sat down. Mus‘ab presented the magnificence of Islam before him and recited a few
verses of the Holy Qur-aan to him. He barely heard the verses of the Qur-aan when
his colour changed. He pleaded: “How do I enter this religion?”
Mus‘ab  replied: “Firstly, you should cleanse your clothing and take a
bath. Recite the Kalimah Shahaadah and perform two Rakaat of Salaah.”
Without more ado, S‘ad got up, took a bath, recited the Kalimah Shahaadah
and performed two Rakaat of Salaah.
The moment he was done here, he headed off towards his people. As his
people saw him coming from a distance, they realised that his colour has changed.
There was something different about him. As he reached their gathering, S‘ad
addressed them saying: “What do you think of me?” In one voice they all agreed:
“You are our leader. As far as your discretion and good counsel is concerned, you
are the best amongst us.” S‘ad said: “By Allah! I will never speak to you until and
unless each one of you believes in Allah and His Rasool .”
Even before nightfall, not a single man or woman of the Banu ‘Abdul-Ashal
tribe was left without embracing Islam.
From the entire tribe of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashal, only one man by the name of
‘Amr bin Thaabit who was known as Usayrim was left to embrace Islam. He
embraced Islam on the day of Uhud. He accepted Islam and immediately set out for
the battlefield where he was martyred. On this occasion, Rasulullah 
issued glad tidings of his entry into Jannah. Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah  would
ask as a riddle: “Show me a person who is a Jannati without even performing a
single Salaah.”
When the people failed to answer, he would say: “He is Usayrim from the tribe
of Banu Abdul-Ashal.”
Chapter 8 149
Islam of Rifa’ah 
Rifa’ah bin Raaf‘i Zuraqi  narrates: “Even before those six Ansaaris could
come to Makkah, my cousin (my mother’s sister’s son) Mu‘aaz bin ‘Afraa and I
came to Makkah. We met with Rasulullah  and he presented the beauty
of Islam to us. He asked me: “O Rifa’ah! Tell me, who created the earth, skies and
mountains?” We replied: “Allah created them.” He then asked: “Who is more
worthy of being worshipped; the Creator or the created?” We replied: “The
Creator.” Rasulullah  then advised: “So you are entitled to be worshipped
by these idols whilst you worship Allah because you created these idols whilst you
were created by Allah. I am inviting you to the worship of just one Allah. Believe
in the oneness of Allah and do not ascribe any partners unto him and regard me as
the messenger and Prophet of Allah. Maintain favourable relationship with your
kith and kin and refrain from oppression and transgression.”
To this I replied: “You have certainly invited us towards outstanding character
and magnificent characteristics”
I then rose from there and headed off towards the Haram where I loudly
proclaimed: “I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and
that Muhammad  is His messenger.”
The Institution of Jumu‘ah at Madinah

In the same year As‘ad bin Zuraarah  established Jumu‘ah at Madinah
Munawwarah. When he observed that the Jews and Christians have a special day
of the week in which they congregate; the Jews on Saturday and the Christians on
Sunday, he reflected that the Muslims should also observe a day of the week in
which they congregate to remember Allah, to express their Shukr (appreciation)
before him, to offer Salaah and to worship Him. As‘ad bin Zuraarah proposed the
day of Friday as this special day for the Muslims and on this day he led everyone in
Salaah.
In short, the Sahaabah , on the basis of their own Ijtihaad (inference),
firstly established the performance of Jumu‘ah and secondly they proposed that the
name of that auspicious day be referred to as the day of Jumu‘ah. Previously,
during the times of ignorance, the day was referred to as the day of ‘Arubah. The
divine revelation of Allah approved of both these inferences, as evident from the
following verse:
ْ ْ ‫ﻦ ﻳ ْﻮم اﻟْﺠﻤﻌﺔ ﻓ‬
‫ﺎﺳﻌ ْﻮا ا ٰ ذﻛﺮ اﷲ‬
ۤۡ ٰ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻮا اذا ﻧ ۡﻮدي ﻟﻠﺼﻠٰﻮة ﻣ‬ ‫ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ‬
‫ا\ﻳﻦ اﻣ ﻨ‬

“When the call for prayer is proclaimed on the day of Friday, hasten towards the
Zikr of Allah…” [Surah Jumu‘ah]
Besides establishing the compulsion of Jumu‘ah, this verse also proves that Allah
Ta’ala approved the name Jumu‘ah. The divine revelation of Allah Ta’ala refrained
from using the name Yawm-e-‘Arubah (day of ‘Arubah) for Friday as was
prevalent in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance and employed exactly the same
name proposed by the Ansaar. Judging from this perspective, Allah Ta’ala has
endorsed and approved of the Ijtihaad (inference) of the Ansaar.
Merely a few days later, Rasulullah’s  letter addressed to Mus‘ab bin
‘Umair  reached the people of Madinah wherein he instructed them to
congregate and perform two Rakaat of Salaah after midday.
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin K‘ab bin Maalik  says: “Whenever my father
K‘ab bin Maalik  heard the Azaan of Jumu‘ah being called he would fondly
bring to mind As‘ad bin Zuraarah and make dua of forgiveness for him. When I
once enquired about this, he replied: ‘In Madinah, he was the first person to lead us
in Jumu‘ah Salaah.’”
Second Pledge of the Ansaar – 13th year of prophet-hood

The following year, which was the thirteenth year of prophet-hood, Mus‘ab bin
‘Umair , in the company of a group of Muslims, set out for Makkah with the
intention of performing Haj. Accompanying these Muslim pilgrims were a number
of disbelievers from the Aws and Khazraj tribes who had not as yet embraced
Islam. Most of the group, which numbered more than four hundred, comprised of
these people. According to the most popular view, the Muslims numbered seventy-
five; seventy-three men and two women, who pledged their allegiance at the hands
of Rasulullah  in the same valley where the very first group had pledged
their allegiance. This second pledge is referred to Bay‘atul ‘Aqabah Saaniyah (the
second pledge of allegiance).
‘Allaamah Jawzi  says that the people who pledged their allegiance on
this occasion numbered a few more than seventy five.
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates: “For ten long years Rasulullah 
would go to meet the people in their houses, in the market places and in their social
functions. He would invite them towards Islam pleading with them: ‘Who will
grant assistance to me? Who will support me? Who will assist me in conveying the
message of my Lord? For him I guarantee Jannah.’ But alas, he would return in
vain without any support or assistance.
This continued until such time that Allah Ta’ala sent us from Yasrib to
Rasulullah . We placed our trust in him and offered him assistance.
Everyone of us who appeared before him returned as a Muslim. When Islam
penetrated almost every home in Madinah, we convened a meeting in which we
deliberated over the plight of Rasulullah . We thought, for how long
more are we going to forsake Rasulullah  in this bleak condition? For
Chapter 8 151
how long more will we observe him anxiously walking about on the mountains of
Makkah?
Nonetheless, from Madinah, seventy of us came to Makkah for Haj that
year…….” (up to the end of the Hadith).
When this caravan reached Makkah, they secretly sent a message to Rasulullah
 informing him that they wished to meet him. Rasulullah 
promised to meet them during the days of Tashreeq (Haj) in the same valley in
Mina where the other fortunate pilgrims of Madinah had pledged their allegiance
the preceding year.
At the appointed hour, in the company of his uncle Hadhrat ‘Abbaas ,
Rasulullah  met them in the valley of Mina. Although Hadhrat ‘Abbaas
 had not as yet embraced Islam, he was nonetheless a devoted supporter of
Rasulullah . The moment he took a seat, Hadhrat ‘Abbaas 
addressed the Ansaar saying: “Muhammad () is an exceptionally
esteemed and well-regarded man in his community. (Although people were
antagonistic towards Rasulullah’s  Deen but the honour and admiration
they cherished for him was not accorded to anyone else.) We are his staunch
supporters and loyal protectors. He wishes to come over to you. If you are capable
of providing your loyal support and absolute protection to him and you sincerely
believe you would remain committed to this unto death, well and good otherwise
give me an honest answer now.”
The Ansaar replied: “Okay, we understand what your concerns are.”
Addressing Rasulullah , they then said: “O Prophet of Allah!
Whatever you want from us, we are eager to comply. Whatever the demands are of
you and Allah, we are enthusiastic and you may even take a pledge from us.”
Rasulullah  replied: “I am inviting you towards Allah.” He then
presented them with Islam and recited a few portions of the Holy Qur-aan. He then
proclaimed: “For Allah, I urge you to worship Him Alone and refrain from
ascribing any partner unto Him. For my friends, I request you to grant us refuge,
offer us your protection just as you would protect your own wives and children,
and that you will obey me in times of bliss and despair, in comfort and adversity,
in prosperity and in poverty. In every condition you will take heed and abide by
my instructions.”
“What will we get in return,” asked the Ansaar “if we comply?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Jannah!” (In other words, the eternal bounties
of the hereafter.)
The Ansaar replied: “We accept all your conditions. Come, stretch out your
blessed hand, we wish to pledge our allegiance.”
Abul-Haysam bin Tayhaan  anxiously asked: “O Prophet of Allah! I am
a bit concerned about something. We enjoy some relationships with the Jews. Since
we have established a relationship with you, the Jews are bound to sever these
relationships. Let it not be such that when Allah Ta’ala makes you victorious and
provides you with assistance, you return to Makkah leaving us (floundering) here
in Madinah.” Rasulullah  smiled and said: “Never! Your life is my life.
You are mine and I am yours. Your adversaries are my adversaries and your allies
are my allies.”
Upon this, all of them enthusiastically stretched their hands in a pledge of
allegiance.
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  replied: “The first person to pledge allegiance at the
blessed hands of Rasulullah  was As‘ad bin Zuraarah (who was the most
fortunate). Thereafter Baraa bin M‘arur  and then Usaid bin Hudhair .”
(In order to lend more support and underpin this pledge), ‘Abbaas bin
‘Ubaadah, addressing the Khazraj, said: “O people of Khazraj! Do you realise what
you are pledging? Bear in mind that you are pledging to wage war with the Arabs
and the non-Arabs. If you have even an inkling that in future, when faced with
devastating catastrophes, you would apprehensively abandon this, you might as
well give up now. By Allah! Giving up then out of fearfulness will be a source of
indignity in this world as well as the next. If, however, you are prepared to suffer
the adversities of the future, if you are willing to sacrifice your wealth and lives
and you are eager to remain staunch upon this pledge, then, by Allah, this will be a
source of your success and fortune in this world as well as the next.”
In one voice they all agreed: “Yes, we are pledging our allegiance upon this.
We are not reluctant to sacrifice our wealth and lives for Rasulullah .
Even when faced with danger, by Allah, we will never violate this pledge.”
Assigning Nuqabaa (Leaders)

When all of them had given their pledge, Rasulullah  said: “Musa 
had chosen twelve Nuqabaa (leaders) from the Jews. In a similar vein, as per the
counsel of Jibraa’eel , I also choose twelve leaders from amongst you.”
He then addressed these leaders saying: “You twelve are representatives of
your people just as the Hawaariyyeen were the representatives of ‘Isa .”
Names of the Nuqabaa

The twelve whom Rasulullah  had elected as the Nuqabaa (leaders) over
the Ansaar are as follows:
1. As‘ad bin Zuraarah 
2. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
3. S‘ad bin Rab‘i 
4. Raaf‘i bin Maalik 
Chapter 8 153
5. Abu Jaabir ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr 

6. Baraa bin Ma‘rur 
7. S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah 
8. Munzir bin ‘Amr 
9. ‘Ubaadah bin Saamit 
10. Usaid bin Hudhair 
11. S‘ad bin Khaysamah 
12. Rifa’ah bin ‘Abdul-Munzir 
Zuhri says that Rasulullah  addressed the Ansaar saying: “I want to
appoint twelve leaders from amongst you. None of you should be offended if he is
not chosen as a Naqeeb because I am obliged to do as I am instructed.” Jibraa’eel
 who was seated next to Rasulullah  would gesture to the proposed
Naqeeb and Rasulullah  would in turn go on appointing them.
The next morning when news of this pledge started spreading in Makkah, the
Quraysh came to the Ansaar to verify this news. Since there were some disbelievers
and idolaters in this caravan as well and they were unaware of this pledge, they
utterly rejected this as a rumour saying that if this had some substance of truth in
it, they would have known something.
After some time, this caravan, comprising of Muslims and non-Muslims alike,
left for Madinah. Only once they had departed, the Quraysh learnt that the
information they received about this pledge was authentic. They swiftly despatched
some people to give chase but the caravan had already covered some distance and
they were unable to catch up. They only managed to seize S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah
 who was left behind the caravan. They collared him and subjected him to a
severe beating. Jubair bin Mut‘im  managed to release him from their
clutches.
Bay‘at – the pledge, what is it?

Bay‘at is an Arabic word derived from Bay’a, which means to sell. In technical
terms, it refers to enthusiastically selling one’s life and wealth at the hands of Allah
in exchange of Jannah.
So when this pledge was underway, ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah enquired: “O
Prophet of Allah! You are at liberty to take whatever assurances you want from us
but tell me, what will we attain in exchange of this?” Rasulullah  replied:
“Jannah.”
‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  remarked:
‫ نستقيل‬O‫نقيل و‬O ‫ربح اليع‬

“This is a rather profitable transaction. We will neither dissolve this transaction nor
will we solicit its termination.”
Upon this, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verses:
ْ ۡ ۡ ‫ و ا ْﻣﻮاﻟ‬$ ْ ‫ﱰي ﻣﻦ اﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ اﻧ ۡﻔﺴ‬ ْ

‫ ﻳ ﻘﺎﺗﻠ ۡﻮن ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ ﻓﻴﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮن و‬MN‫ اﻟﺠ ﻨ ﺔ‬$ ‫ ﺑﺎ ن ﻟ‬$ ٰ ‫اﺷ‬ ‫ان اﷲ‬

ۡ ٰ ْ ۡ ۡ ً ْ ْ
‫ وﻣ ْﻦ ا ْوﰲ ﺑﻌﻬﺪ ٖه ﻣﻦ اﷲ‬MN‫ﺔ و اﻻﻧﺠ ۡﻴﻞ و اﻟ ﻘ ۡﺮ ٰان‬B‫اﻟﺘ ْﻮ ٰر‬ ‫¿ وﻋ ًﺪا ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ ﺣ ﻘﺎ ﰲ‬N‫ﻳﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮن‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ ٰ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ
﴾۱۱۱﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ اﻟ ﻔﻮ ز اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ‬ ‫ و ذﻟﻚ‬MN‫ا\ي ﺑﺎﻳﻌﺘﻢ ﺑ ٖﻪ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ‬ ‫ﺸﺮوا ﺑﺒﻴﻌ‬E‫ﻓﺎﺳ ﺘ‬

“Verily Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and wealth in exchange
for Jannah. They wage battle in the path of Allah in which they sometimes kill and
sometimes get killed. This is the true promise of Allah in the Taurah, Injeel and the
Qur-aan. And who is more conforming to his promises than Allah? So rejoice in this
transaction you have concluded. That is the supreme success.” [Taubah verse 111]
In Jannah, a unique market will be erected. Those who have sold their wealth and
lives to Allah and they have surrendered their lives and properties to Him will be at
liberty to choose whatever they desire from this market because they have already
made advance payment (with their lives and wealth).
How well an Arab poet describes this when he says:
َ ُ ُّ
‫الس ۡوق للقوم َم ۡعل ۡم‬ ‫المحبون ذاك‬ ‫الس ۡو ِق الي فيه يلتق‬ ُّ < ‫وح‬
َ َ ُ ‫َف َق ۡد ا َ ۡسلَ َف الُ َّج‬ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ ُ
‫ار فيه َوا ۡسل ُم ۡوا‬ ‫ ث َم ٍن ُل‬Kِ‫فما شئت خذ مِن ُه ب‬
“Hasten to the market wherein the devotees would meet, that market would be
reserved for some people. (They will be told) ‘Take whatever you desire from
therein.’ Verily the traders had made exceedingly profitable transactions in future
trading.”
Important Note
Whilst taking the oath of allegiance, Rasulullah  would clasp the hands of
men only. He did not shake the hands of women. He would accept a verbal pledge
from them and inform them that their pledge of allegiance is complete and they
may return.
Chapter 8 155
Open proclamation of Islam in Madinah

This caravan of the Ansaar left Makkah and eventually reached Madinah where
they openly proclaimed their conversion to Islam. Most of the tribes of Madinah
had already embraced Islam although there were a few obstinate elders who were
fiercely clinging onto their ancient ways of idolatry. One of them was ‘Amr bin
Jamooh, the leader of the Banu Salmah tribe and whose son Mu’aaz bin ‘Amr bin
Jamooh had just returned from Makkah after pledging his allegiance at the blessed
hands of Rasulullah . ‘Amr bin Jamooh had crafted a wooden idol for
himself to which he accorded great respect and he held in high esteem. One night,
his own son, Mu’aaz bin ‘Amr, Mu’aaz bin Jabal and a few youngsters of the Banu
Salmah tribe whisked away this idol and dumped it upside-down into a large
gutter. In the morning, ‘Amr bin Jamooh discovered that his own handcrafted god
has disappeared. He started muttering: “Alas! I wonder who took my god away.”
He promptly went around the area in search of this idol and found it lying upside
down in a huge cesspit. He retrieved it from the pit, washed it thoroughly and
applied some perfume to it. On the second night, these youngsters once again
hauled the idol away and dumped it into another large pit. The next morning, ‘Amr
bin Jamooh went out in search for it again. He recovered it from the pit, bathed it
and applied fragrance to it.
When this happened ceaselessly over a period of few days, ‘Amr bin Jamooh
placed a sword over the idol’s neck saying: “By Allah! I wonder who is doing this
to you. If you have any good in you, here, take this sword and protect yourself.”
That night, these youngsters removed the sword from its neck. They got hold
of a dead dog and tied it to this idol. They then suspended both of them over a well.
The next morning, ‘Amr bin Jamooh learnt that his idol has disappeared once
again. He went out in search of it and found his idol attached to a dead dog
hanging over a well. The moment he laid eyes on this spectacle, his eyes opened
and addressing the idol, he called out: “By Allah! If you were truly a god, you
would not have been subject to such utter humiliation!”
Chapter 9
Migration to Madinah Munawwarah
Just as the inception of prohethood was launched with pious dreams, similarly, the
origins of Hijrah (migration) were initiated in the form of pious dreams. At the
beginning, Rasulullah  was shown dreams about the location of his
migration but not the name of the place. He was merely shown that his place of
migration was a place abounding in date palms. This is why he was under the
impression that the place was perhaps Yamaamah or Hajar. Whilst he was
reflecting over this, divine revelation singled out Madinah Munawwarah as the
place of migration. On the basis of this divine directive, Rasulullah 
commanded his Sahaabah  to emigrate to Madinah Munawwarah.
According to another Hadith, Allah Ta’ala revealed to Rasulullah 
that whichever city you are drawn to from Madinah, Bahrain or Qinasriyyeen, that
city will be regarded as your Daarul-Hijrah (place of migration).
Note: Just as a number of various homes are offered to an honoured guest to
choose whichever one he wishes, similarly, as a mark of honour, Rasulullah
 was offered a number of locations for Hijrah. Madinah was ultimately
chosen as his place of Hijrah.
After the termination of Bay‘atul-Aqabah, Rasulullah  commanded
the Sahaabah  to emigrate to Madinah Munawwarah. The moment they
were made aware of this divine commandment, frantic but secretive preparation
began. The first person to brace himself for this Hijrah was Rasulullah’s 
milk-brother Abu Salmah ‘Abdul-Asad Makhzumi  with his wife and son.
However, Hijrah was not a stroll in the park. Whoever intended to emigrate would
meet fierce resistance from the Quraysh. They would leave no stone unturned in
preventing them from Hijrah because, after all, who would they employ as their
targets of tyranny?
157
Nonetheless, Abu Salmah, with his wife and child, got ready to depart for
Madinah. His carriage was put over his camel and his wife and child were already
mounted on the camel. He was about departing when people heard about his
migration. His wife Umme Salmah’s  family, rushed up to him and said:
“You can do whatever you want with your life but you are not at liberty to take our
daughter away.” Saying this, they grasped her hand and hauled her away. From the
other side, Abu Salmah’s  relatives came up to him saying: “This child
belongs to our family and nobody has the right to take him away.” They then
snatched the child from her lap and made off with him. The father, mother and
child all were pitilessly drawn apart in this manner. Abu Salmah  ultimately
set out all alone for Madinah Munawwarah.
Umme Salmah  relates: “(Following this incident) I would go to Abtah
every morning and cry my heart out. A whole year passed like this before one of
my paternal cousins took pity upon me and rebuked my people of Banul-Mughirah
saying: “Don’t you have any pity for this miserable woman?” Upon this, Banul-
Mughirah relented and allowed me to migrate to Madinah. The people of Banul-
Asad also returned my son to me. I took the child on my lap, mounted the camel
and set out for Madinah all alone.
When I landed at Tan‘eem (just on the outskirts of Makkah), I was met by
‘Usmaan bin Talhah  who asked me where I was off to. I replied: “I am on
my way to Madinah to meet my husband.” He asked: “Is there anybody
accompanying you?” I replied:
ّ َ ‫وب‬ ّٰ
ُ 4‫ا‬ ّٰ
‫ن هذا‬ O‫ ا‬4‫ وا‬O
“No, nobody but Allah and this infant son of mine.”
On hearing this, ‘Usmaan  was on the verge of weeping. He took hold of the
reins of the camel and started walking ahead of us. Whenever we halted, he would
make the camel sit and move away. When I would dismount, he would take the
camel a distance away, tie it to a tree and lie down under its shade. When we had
to continue on our journey, he would bring the camel and move aside saying: “Go
on, mount the camel.” When I was mounted, he would take its reins and walk
ahead. Whenever we broke our journey, he would maintain this attitude of
modesty until we reached Madinah. As we caught sight of the buildings of Quba
from a distance, he said: “Your husband resides in this village. Enter this village
with the Barakah (blessings) of Allah Ta’ala.” Delivering me to my husband, he
returned to Makkah. By Allah! I haven’t come across another man more noble and
gracious than ‘Usmaan bin Talhah .”
Thereafter ‘Aamir bin Rabi’ah  migrated with his wife Layla bint
Khaysamah . Then Abu Ahmad bin Jahsh  with his brother ‘Abdullah
Chapter 9 159
bin Jahsh  with both their families set out for Madinah after locking their
homes.
‘Utbah and Abu Jahal were both sullenly viewing this spectacle where one
by one, people were departing from Makkah. The houses of Makkah were all falling
eerily vacant. Almost on the verge of tears, ‘Utbah took a deep breath and wailed:
ُ ۡ ‫كبَا ٓ ُء َو‬
‫ال ۡو ُب‬
ۡ َّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ً ۡ َ
‫يوما ستد ِركها ال‬
َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُّ ُ
‫ َم ُت َها‬K‫ت َس‬ ‫ار وا ِن طال‬
ٍ ‫كد‬
“Every house, no matter how long it remains safe and homely, one day it is bound
to turn into a house of bereavement and sorrow.”
He then exclaimed: “This is all because of our nephew. He is responsible for
causing such a turbulent division within our society.”
Thereafter the following personalities migrated: ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan,
‘Uqbah bin Wahab, Shuj‘a bin Wahab, Arbad bin Jamirah, Munqiz bin Nabatah,
Sa’eed bin Ruqaish, Muhriz bin Nadlah, Yazeed bin Ruqaish, Qays bin Jaabir, ‘Amr
bin Mihsan, Safwaan bin ‘Amr, Saqeef bin ‘Amr, Rabi’ah bin Aktham, Zubair bin
‘Ubaid, Tamaam bin ‘Ubaidah, Sanjarah bin ‘Ubaidah and Muhammad bin Jahsh
. Amongst the ladies who migrated in this wave were: Zainab bint Jahsh,
Umme Habibah bint Jahsh, Juzamah bint Jundul, Umme Qays bint Mihsan, Umme
Habib bint Sumaamah, Aaminah bint Ruqaysh, Sanjarah bint Tameem, Hamnah
bint Jahsh .
They were followed by Hadhrat ‘Umar  and ‘Ayaash bin Abi Rabi’ah
 in the company of twenty other mounted emigrants.
Hishaam bin ‘Aas  was also supposed to migrate with Hadhrat ‘Umar
 but his people intensely protested against his departure and prevented him
from departing.
When Hadhrat ‘Umar  and ‘Ayaash bin Abi Rabi’ah  landed in
Madinah, Abu Jahal bin Hishaam and his brother Haaris bin Hishaam (Abu Jahal’s
brother who later embraced Islam) travelled to Madinah. They located ‘Ayaash and
said to him: “Your mother has vowed that as long as she does not lay eyes on you
she will neither comb her hair nor will she take shade from the sunshine.” This
touching vow hurled him onto the brink of tears and he promptly agreed to return
to Makkah with them. They barely set out when Abu Jahal tied his hands behind
his back. He brought him to Makkah and locked him up for a long period of time.
During this incarceration, he subjected him to all forms of physical anguish.
During Fajr Salaah, Rasulullah  would recite the Qunoot and make
special dua for him as well. He would beseech Allah Ta’ala saying:
ّٰ
‫الل ُه َّم انج الولد بن الولد وسلمة بن هشام و عياش بن اب ربيعه‬
“O Allah! Deliver Waleed bin Waleed, Salmah bin Hishaam and ‘Ayaash bin Abi
Rabi’ah (from the persecution of the disbelievers).”
Subsequently, Allah Ta’ala released him from this agony and he fled to Madinah.
The following people joined Hadhrat ‘Umar  in the Hijrah: Zaid bin
Khattaab (Hadhrat ‘Umar’s elder brother), ‘Amr and ‘Abdullah (the sons of
Suraaqah), Khunais bin Huzaafa Sahmi, Sa’eed bin ‘Amr bin Nufail, Waaqid bin
‘Abdullah Tameemi, Khawla bin Khawla, Maalik bin Abi Khawla and the four sons
of Bukair; Iyaas, ‘Aamir, ‘Aaqil and Khaalid .
After this group, a procession of others followed. Some of them were: Talhah
bin ‘Ubaidullah, Suhaib bin Sinaan, Hamzah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib, Zaid bin
Haarisah, Abu Marthad Kanaaz bin Hasan, Anasah, Abu Kabshah, Abu ‘Ubaidah
bin Haaris and his two brothers Tufail bin Haaris and Husain bin Haaris, Mistah
bin Athaathah, Suwait bin S‘ad, Tulaib bin ‘Umair, Khabbaab bin Aratt, ‘Abdur-
Rahmaan bin ‘Awf, Zubair bin ‘Awwaam, Abu Sabrah bin Abi Riham, Mus‘ab bin
‘Umair, Abu Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah, Saalim the emancipated slave of Abu Huzaifah,
‘Utbah bin Ghazwaan and ‘Usmaan bin Affaan . In short, gradually, one by
one, group by group, all the Sahaabah  emigrated to Madinah Munawwarah.
In Makkah it was only Rasulullah , Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and
Hadhrat Ali  who remained. Yes, a few helpless and vulnerable Muslims
trapped within the brutal clutches of the disbelievers still remained behind in
Makkah.
Assembly of Quraysh in Daarun-Nadwah and their Resolution

to Assassinate Rasulullah 
When the Quraysh realised that gradually all the Sahaabah  had migrated to
Madinah and Rasulullah’s  departure was also imminent, a number of
chieftains convened in Daarun-Nadwah to deliberate over this ‘predicament’.
Amongst the chieftains gathered were: ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaybah bin Rabi’ah,
Abu Sufyaan bin Harb, Ta‘imah bin ‘Adi, Jubair bin Mut‘im, Haaris bin ‘Aamir,
Abul-Bakhtari bin Hishaam, Zam‘ah bin Aswad, Hakeem bin Hizaam, Abu Jahal
bin Hishaam, Nabihah and Munabbihah sons of Hajaaj and Umayyah bin Khalaf.
Iblees the accursed appeared in this gathering in the form of an old man. As he
turned up at the door people asked him whom he was. He replied: “I am a Shaikh
from Najd. I wish to listen to your discussion and if possible, I would assist you by
voicing my personal opinion and counsel.”
The people allowed him entry and the discussion began. One of them
suggested that Rasulullah  should be imprisoned within a fully enclosed
closet. To this the ‘Najdi Shaikh’ responded: “No, this is not the ideal solution
because if his companions learn of his imprisonment, they would overwhelm you
and release him.” Someone else proposed to banish him from Makkah altogether.
To this the ‘Najdi Shaikh’ countered: “No! This opinion is definitely not acceptable.
Are you not aware of the sweetness, allure and captivating nature of his speech? If
Chapter 9 161
you drive him out of here, perhaps the inhabitants of another city would listen to
his sweet words and believe in him. Then all of them may just get together and
launch an attack against us.”
Abu Jahal said: “I am of the opinion that neither should we incarcerate him
nor should we banish him. Rather we should select a young man from each and
every tribe and all of them should jointly assassinate Muhammad. In this manner,
Muhammad’s () blood will be fanned out over all the tribes and his tribe,
Banu Abdu Manaaf, would not be able to hit back against any particular tribe.
They will be forced to settle the matter by accepting blood money.”
The ‘Najdi Shaikh’ responded quite excitedly to this proposal. With fervent
enthusiasm he said: “By Allah! This seems like the most excellent plan.” Other
members of the meeting also sanctioned this proposal.
It was also agreed in this meeting that this baneful plan be carried out that
very night.
This assembly barely dispersed when Hadhrat Jibraa’eel  appeared
before Rasulullah  with divine revelation enlightening him about their
evil plot in the following verses:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ
M ‫ﻜﺮ اﷲ‬ ‫ وﻳﻤﻜﺮ ۡون وﻳﻤ‬M ‫ﻛ ﻔﺮ ۡوا ﻟﻴﺜﺒﺘ ۡﻮك ا ْو ﻳﻘﺘﻠ ۡﻮك ا ْو ﻳﺨﺮﺟ ۡﻮك‬ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ‬
‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﻜﺮ ﺑ‬ ‫و اذ ﻳﻤ‬

ۡ ْ ۡ
﴾ ۳۰﴿ ‫ﺧﲑ اﻟ ٰﻤﻜﺮﻳﻦ‬ ‫واﷲ‬

“And remember when the disbelievers were conspiring against you either to
incarcerate, kill or banish you. They were plotting and Allah was plotting but Allah
Ta’ala is the best of plotters.” [Surah Anfaal verse 30]
He was then fully apprised of the sinister plot of the disbelievers and he was
divinely commanded to emigrate to Madinah Munawarrah. Rasulullah 
was also advised to recite the following dua:
ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ
ً ‫ﻚ ﺳﻠ ٰﻄ ًﻨﺎ ﻧﺼ‬
﴾۸۰﴿‫ﲑا‬ ‫ ﻣﺨﺮج ﺻﺪ ٍق و اﺟﻌﻞ ﻣﻦ ﻧ‬0 ‫ﻞ ﺻﺪ ٍق و اﺧﺮﺟ‬
‫ﺧ‬ ‫ ﻣﺪ‬0‫ب ادﺧﻠ‬ ‫و ﻗﻞ ر‬

“And say: ‘My Lord! Let my entry (into Madinah) be good and (similarly) let my
exit (from Makkah) be good. And grant me from Your side a dominion and
assistance. [Surah Israa verse 80]
Hadhrat Ali  narrates that Rasulullah  asked Jibraa’eel  who
would accompany him in the emigration. Jibraa’eel  replied: “Abu Bakr
 will emigrate with you.”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates: “Right at high noon, Rasulullah 
appeared at Abu Bakr’s  house and informed him that his emigration to
Madinah had been divinely sanctioned by Allah Ta’ala. Overcome with excitement,
Abu Bakr  asked: “May my parents be sacrificed for you, O Prophet of Allah!
Will this unworthy man get the honour of travelling with you?” Rasulullah
 replied: “Yes, surely.”
On hearing this elating news, Abu Bakr  burst into tears. Hadhrat
‘Aa’ishah  says: “Before this, I never knew that anyone could cry out of
downright elation and joy. Long before this, Abu Bakr , in anticipation of
this impending journey, set aside two camels, which he was feeding with acacia
leaves for the last four months. He offered one of these camels to Rasulullah
 saying: “O Prophet of Allah! may my parents be sacrificed for you!
Please select one of these camels, it is a gift for you.” Rasulullah  replied:
“No, I would not accept it without paying for it.” Abu Bakr replied: “Okay, if you
want to pay for it, well and good. You may pay for it.”
In other words, my personal desire is of no concern. My desires and
inclinations are all subject to your directives.
That night as darkness spread across the land, the Quraysh, as per their
predetermined resolution, besieged Rasulullah’s  house planning to attack
him later that night. Rasulullah  directed Hadhrat Ali  to don his
green sheet and lie down on his (Rasulullah’s ) bed. He also advised him
saying: “Do not panic. Nothing will happen to you.”
Although the Quraysh were his nasty enemies, they still regarded him as
trustworthy and honest. They would customarily entrust their valuables to his care.
Rasulullah  handed over these entrusted items to Hadhrat Ali 
advising him to return them to their rightful owners.
Abu Jahal, the accursed, was standing outside and with riotous laughter he
was mockingly telling his cohorts: “Muhammad is under the impression that if you
follow him you will become the rulers of the Arabs and non-Arabs alike and you
will get eternal paradise after your death. And if you fail to follow him, you will be
killed at the hands of his companions and thereafter you will burn in the fire of
Hell.
Whilst he was scornfully saying this, Rasulullah  emerged from the
door. Taking a handful of sand, he said: “Yes, this is what I assure you would
happen. You are also one of those who are destined to die at the hands of my
companions and to burn in the fire of Hell.” Over this handful of sand, Rasulullah
 then recited the opening verses of Surah Yaaseen until the verse “Fa
Aghshaynaahum Fa Hum Laa Yubsiroon (and We have swathed them so they
cannot see)” and hurled this sand over their heads. Allah Ta’ala placed a veil over
their eyes. He passed right before their very eyes without them realising it.
Rasulullah  then proceeded to Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s  house.
Together they left home and headed off to the road leading to Mount Saur. They
ascended the mountain and took cover in one of its caves. During this time, a man
passed Rasulullah’s  house and saw a number of the Quraysh milling
about. When he enquired what they were waiting for, they replied: “We are
Chapter 9 163
waiting for Muhammad to emerge. The moment he sets foot out of his house, we
will kill him.” The man countered: “May Allah Ta’ala make your efforts go in vain.
Muhammad () has hurled sand over your heads and passed by.”
The next morning, when they saw Hadhrat Ali  rising from Rasulullah’s
 bed, they exclaimed: “By Allah! That man was right.” With untold
misery dripping from their voices, they asked: “Where is Muhammad?” Hadhrat Ali
 replied: “I have no idea.”
Note: The disbelievers of Makkah laid siege to his house but they did not break
into the house itself because the Arabs considered it unethical to enter the female
sections of anyone’s home.
Thereafter Rasulullah  continued his journey. As he was leaving the
environs of Makkah, he ascended a hillock and addressed Makkah lamentably
saying:
ّ ‫اﺑ‬ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ اﺧﺮﺟﺖ‬k‫اﻲﻟ وﻟﻮﻻ ا‬ ‫واﺑ اﻧﻚ ﺨﻟﺮﻴ ارض اﺑ واﺣﺐ ارض‬
‫ﻣﻨﻚ ﻣﺎ ﺧﺮﺟﺖ‬
“By Allah! You are the best of lands. You are the most dear to Allah. If I was not
expelled from you, I would never have left you.”
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that Rasulullah  addressed the land of
Makkah saying:
‫ﻣﺎ اﻃﻴﺒﻚ ﻣﻦ ﺑﺘ واﺣﺐ اﻲﻟ وﻟﻮﻻ ان ﻗﻮﻲﻣ اﺧﺮﺟﻮﻰﻳ ﻣﺎ ﺳﻜﻨﺖ‬

‫ﻏﺮﻴك‬
“What a pure land you are. You are very much dear to me. If my people did not
expel me from you, I would not take up residence but in you.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s  elder daughter Hadhrat Asma , prepared their
provisions for the road. Driven by haste, instead of using a cord, she ripped her
girdle apart and used it as a cord to tie the provisions. From that day hence, she
was referred to as Zaatun-Nitaaqayn (a woman with a double girdle). She used one
portion of it to tie the provisions and the other to tie the mouth of the water-skin.
‘Abdullah, the son of Abu Bakr , who was a still a young man, would
spend the day in Makkah and in the evenings he would come to his father in the
cave and give a report on the activities of the Quraysh. ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah, who
was the emancipated slave of Hadhrat Abu Bakr  would graze goats all day
long and at Isha time he would come to the cave and feed Rasulullah 
and Abu Bakr  with goat’s milk.
‘Abdullah bin Uraiqeet was hired as a guide to take the pair of them via the
relatively unknown route to Madinah. Although the guide, ‘Abdullah bin Uraiqeet
was a disbeliever, Rasulullah  and Hadhrat Abu Bakr  still trusted
him and counted upon (his navigational skills). They entrusted the camels to the
guide requesting him to meet them on the third day at Mount Saur from where
they would set out for Madinah.
Cave of Saur
In short, both of them left home the same night and set out for the cave of Saur.
When Rasulullah  proceeded towards the cave, his cave-companion,
his devoted disciple, his dedicated companion, his sincere devotee, and his
incomparable friend Hadhrat Abu Bakr  was struck with an unusual sense of
restlessness. Sometimes he would walk behind Rasulullah  and
sometimes in front of him. At times he would walk on his right and sometimes to
his left. In due course, Rasulullah  asked: “What is the matter Abu Bakr?
Sometimes you walk ahead of me and sometimes behind me?” Abu Bakr 
replied: “O Rasulullah ! When I envisage someone hunting for you from
the back, I promptly move behind you. When I dread someone waiting in ambush
for you, I reposition myself to get ahead of you.” Rasulullah  asked: “Abu
Bakr! Your purpose for acting in this manner is to sacrifice your life for mine?”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  replied: “Yes, O Prophet of Allah! I swear by the Being
who has commissioned you with the truth, I wish to sacrifice my life in favour of
yours.” As they reached the cave, Abu Bakr  said: “O Prophet of Allah! Just
hold on a moment. I will enter the cave and clean it for you.”
Abu Bakr  entered the cave first and after a little while Rasulullah
 followed him through. Soon thereafter, with the grace of Almighty
Allah, a spider spun its web over the mouth of the cave.
The Quraysh surrounded Rasulullah’s  house all night long. The
next morning, they were startled to notice Ali  awakening from Rasulullah’s
 bed. When they enquired from Hadhrat Ali  about his
whereabouts, he replied: “I have no idea.” They promptly scurried about in all
directions hunting for him until they reached the cave. When their glances fell onto
the web screening the mouth of the cave, they said:
‫لو دخل هنا لم يكن نسيج العنكبوت < بابه‬

“This web would not have been here if he had entered the cave.”
Whilst Rasulullah  sought refuge in the cave of Saur, with the will of
Allah, a tree miraculously sprouted up before him. A pair of wild doves then laid
Chapter 9 165
their eggs in the nests that were on the tree. Whilst the disbelievers were hunting
for Rasulullah , they came across the cave but when they caught sight of
the nests covering the tree, they retreated. Rasulullah  says: “Allah Ta’ala
defended us from their (evils).”
Abu Bakr  recounts: “When Rasulullah  and I were in the cave
whilst the Quraysh were frenziedly searching for us and they somehow managed
to get to the mouth of the cave, I anxiously submitted: ‘O Prophet of Allah! If one
of them has to lower his gaze, he is certainly bound to spot us.’ Rasulullah
 replied:
ّٰ
‫ ثالهما‬4‫ماظنك يا ابا بكر باثني ا‬
‘What is your opinion, O Abu Bakr, of those two people amongst whom the third is
Allah.’
(In other words), we are not alone. Allah is with us and He will shield us from their
evil.”
When Rasulullah  noticed Abu Bakr  looking miserably sad,
he said:
ْ
‫ﻻ ﺗﺤﺰ ْن ا ن اﷲ ﻣﻌﻨﺎ‬

“Do not grieve. Certainly Allah is with us.”
He also made special dua for Abu Bakr’s  pacification after which, a unique
form of tranquillity and serenity descended over Abu Bakr . In this regard
Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Qur-aan:
ٗ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ
‫ ﻓﺎ ﻧﺰ ل اﷲ ﺳﻜ ۡﻴ ﻨﺘﻪ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ واﻳ ﺪ ٗه ﺑﺠ ﻨ ۡﻮ ٍد‬N‫ﻫ ﻤﺎ ﰲ اﻟ ﻐﺎر اذ ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮ ل ﻟﺼﺎﺣﺒ ٖﻪ ﻻ ﺗﺤﺰ ْن ا ن اﷲ ﻣﻌ ﻨﺎ‬
‫اذ‬

‫ﺰ ﺣﻜ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ واﷲ ﻋﺰﻳ‬MN‫ وﻛﻠﻤﺔ اﷲ ﻫﻲ اﻟْﻌ ْﻠﻴﺎ‬MN¤ٰ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻛﻔﺮوا اﻟﺴ ْﻔ‬ ‫ﻛﻠﻤ ﺔ‬ ‫ﻟ ْﻢ ﺗﺮ ْوﻫﺎ و‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺟ ﻌ‬

“When both of them were in the cave, when he (Rasulullah ) told his
companion: ‘Do not grieve. Certainly Allah is with us.’ So Allah transmitted His
special tranquillity over him and strengthened him with forces (angels) that you
were unable to see and He rendered the word of the disbelievers the lowermost, and
the word of Allah is always uppermost. And Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.”
[Surah Taubah verse 40]
For three long days, Rasulullah  remained hidden in the cave. ‘Abdullah,
the son of Abu Bakr  would spend the day in Makkah gathering information
about the disbelievers and in the evenings, he would give them a detailed report of
the happenings in Makkah and quickly depart as early as possible. ‘Aamir bin
Fuhayrah  (the emancipated slave of Abu Bakr ) would come daily to

the cave after ‘Isha when it was somewhat dark. He would come with a few she-
goats so that Rasulullah  and Abu Bakr  could drink whatever milk
they required. This is how they passed three nights in the cave.
On the fourth morning, ‘Abdullah bin Uraiqeet (who was appointed as their
guide to Madinah), as per his pledge, turned up at the cave with two she-camels.
Casting aside the normal route to Madinah, he took them on the more unfamiliar
coastal route to Madinah Munawwarah.
Rasulullah  mounted one camel whilst Abu Bakr  mounted the
other. In order to serve them, Abu Bakr  also took his emancipated slave,
‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah, along with him and seated him behind him on the same
camel. ‘Abdullah bin Uraiqeet mounted his own camel and since he was the guide,
he would ride slightly ahead of them.
When Abu Bakr  embraced Islam, he had a princely sum of forty
thousand Dirhams in his possession. He spent most of this amount in the path of
Allah. He would regularly purchase slaves and set them free. He had just five
thousand from the original forty at the time of Hijrah. He took this money along as
well. Even this was exhausted in purchasing the land for Masjide-Nabawi and in
other religious projects. Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  says: “When Abu Bakr 
passed away, he did not leave behind a single Deenar nor Dirham.”
Nonetheless, ‘Abdullah bin Uraiqeet took Rasulullah  and Hadhrat
Abu Bakr  towards the lower regions of Makkah along the coastal route.
From here they made their way to the lower regions of ‘Asfaan travelling a stage at
a time until they ultimately reached Quba (on the outskirts of Madinah).
Note: Rasulullah  left home and went straight to Abu Bakr’s 
house. Taking Hadhrat Abu Bakr with him, both of them went into hiding in the
cave of Saur. In the meantime, the disbelievers laid siege to his home but when
they failed to locate him, a comprehensive search was launched. They frantically
dispatched trackers to all areas and some of them eventually landed at the mouth of
the cave but to no avail. Allah Ta’ala availed the services of a spider that could not
have been provided by a hundred coats of mail. He remained concealed within this
cave for three long days whilst the disbelievers kept up their exhaustive search for
this period as well. When they ultimately became despondent of finding him, they
sat down in frustration. In spite of their substantial offers of a reward of one
hundred camels for the person who locates Rasulullah  and Abu Bakr
, all their efforts went in vain. Exasperated by these turn of unexpected
events, the intensity of their search subsequently subsided. This is when Rasulullah
 and Abu Bakr  slipped out of the cave and taking the coastal
route, set out for Madinah Munawwarah.
Abu Bakr  was well recognised amongst the people whilst Rasulullah
 was not as well recognised. So whenever they encountered anyone en
Chapter 9 167
route who asked Abu Bakr who this man accompanying him was, he would reply:
“This is the man showing me the way.” In his mind, he would mean that this is the
man showing me the proper road to goodness and to the hereafter.
Date of Departure
About three months after the pledge of ‘Aqabah, on Thursday, the first of Rab‘i-ul-
Awwal, Rasulullah  set out from Makkah Mukarramah. He halted over in
the cave for three days. On Monday he left the cave and set out for Madinah
Munawwarah. He arrived in Madinah on a Monday.
Asma bint Abi Bakr says: “After the departure of Rasulullah , some
people came to my father’s house enquiring about the whereabouts of Abu Bakr
. Amongst them was Abu Jahal. When he asked me about the whereabouts of
my father, I responded: ‘By Allah! I have no idea whatsoever.’ Abu Jahal delivered
such an awful slap to my face that my ear-ring fell off.”
Story of Umm-e-Ma’bad
As he slipped out of the cave en route to Madinah Munawwarah, Rasulullah
 passed the tent of Umm-e-Ma’bad. She was a remarkably noble and
incredibly hospitable woman. She would often sit on the porch of her tent. People
of Rasulullah’s  caravan approached her to purchase some dates and
meat but she had nothing to offer them. Rasulullah’s  glance fell onto a
young goat in the corner of the tent. When he enquired about it, Umm-e-Ma’bad
replied: “This goat is dreadfully frail and weak. This is why it is unable to graze
with the rest of the herd out in the fields.” Rasulullah  asked: “Does she
have any milk?” She replied: “How can she ever have milk in this condition?”
Rasulullah  asked: “Do I have your permission to milk her?” She replied:
“May my parents be sacrificed for you. If there is any milk in them, you are more
than welcome to help yourself.” Reciting Bismillah, Rasulullah  placed
his blessed hand over its udders, which miraculously started filling up with milk.
Rasulullah  then set about milking the goat. A huge container, from
which about eight to ten people could satiate themselves, filled up with its milk.
Rasulullah  offered the milk to Umm-e-Ma’bad first. She drank to her fill.
He then offered the container to his companions and then he drank right at the end.
He once again milked the goat until the container was brimming with milk yet
again. He then handed the container over to her and after accepting her in Bay‘at
(pledge of allegiance), he set out on his journey once more. In the evening, when
Abu Ma’bad returned home after grazing the goats, he noticed a huge container of
milk lying there. Taken aback by this startling spectacle, he asked: “Where did this
milk come from, Umm-e-Ma’bad? This goat had not a drop of milk.” She replied:
“Today an exceptionally blessed man happened to pass this way. By Allah! This is
due to his Barakah (blessings).” She then went on to recount what transpired. Abu
Ma’bad remarked: “Enlighten me a bit more about this man.” Umm-e-Ma’bad
recounted Rasulullah’s  countenance, his divine nobility, his awe-
inspiring nature and his indefinable dignity.
Abu Ma’bad remarked: “Okay, now I know who you are talking about. This is
the same man from the Quraysh tribe. I will certainly present myself before him as
well.”
Incident of Suraaqah bin Maalik

The Quraysh publicly proclaimed a reward of one hundred camels each for the
person who kills or captures either Muhammad () or Abu Bakr ().
Suraaqah bin Maalik bin J‘usham narrates: “I was sitting in my usual place
when a man came up to me saying that he caught sight of a few people sneaking
off onto the coastal route. He also added that he believes that these people were
Muhammad and his companions.”
Suraaqah continues: “I was positive that these people were really Muhammad
and his friends but out of fear of this man receiving the promised prize of one
hundred camels instead of myself, I somehow skirted the whole issue and
convinced him that it was someone else and not Muhammad.”
Suraaqah continues: “A little while later, I got up from my place and asked my
slave girl to take the horse to a certain hillock and wait for me there. I clutched my
spear and crept out of the back of the house. I reached the horse and with lightning
speed I mounted the horse and shoved him into a full gallop.”
As Suraaqah reached Rasulullah , Abu Bakr  noticed someone
riding fast in their direction. Abu Bakr  anxiously submitted: “O Rasulullah
! Now we will really be captured. This man is coming in search of us.”
Rasulullah  responded:
ْ
‫ﻻ ﺗﺤﺰ ْن ا ن اﷲ ﻣﻌ ﻨﺎ‬

“Don’t worry! Certainly Allah is with us.”
He then cursed Suraaqah. He barely uttered the curse when Suraaqah’s horse
slumped into the rocky ground right up to its knees. Suraaqah submitted: “I am
certain that this happened because of your curse. I beseech both of you to make dua
for me. By Allah! I swear that I will turn back whoever is hunting for you.”
Rasulullah  prayed for him and Suraaqah’s horse was forthwith
released by the ground. Suraaqah says: “From this I promptly gathered that Allah
Ta’ala was bound to grant Rasulullah  dominance. I went on to inform
him about the Quraysh’s sinister plot to assassinate him and I also apprised him of
the reward of one hundred camels offered by them. I then offered him whatever
Chapter 9 169
food provisions I had on me but he declined to accept it. However, he requested me

not to disclose his condition to anyone.
As an added precautionary measure, I asked him to write out a note of security
and pardon in my favour. With Rasulullah’s  directive, ‘Aamir bin
Fuhayrah wrote out a note of clemency on a piece of leather. Issuing the note to
me, they set forth. Clutching the note of clemency, I also headed off towards
Makkah. Whenever I came across anyone searching for Rasulullah , I
would turn him back saying: “There is no need for you to go this way. I have
already searched this area.”
In the same regard, Suraaqah poetically addresses Abu Jahal as follows:
ّٰ
‫مر جوادي حي ساحت قوائمه‬O ‫ لو كنت شاهدا‬4‫ابا حكم وا‬
“By Allah! Abu Hakam (Abu Jahal), if you were present when my horse’s legs sank
into the ground,
‫نب ببهان فمن ذا يقاومه‬ ‫علمت ولم تشكك بان ممدا‬

You would have been convinced without a shadow of doubt that Muhammad is a
messenger who has come with indisputable proofs. So, who will be able to oppose
him?”
Note: This miracle of Rasulullah  was similar to the miracle of Hadhrat
Musa . Just as Qaarun was sunk into the earth with the curse of Musa
, similarly, Suraaqah’s horse sank into the ground with the dua of Rasulullah
.
Nonetheless, without further incident and fear, they proceeded with the rest of
the journey.
As they drew closer to Madinah Munawwarah, Rasulullah  met
Hadhrat Zubair  who was returning with a trade caravan from Syria.
Hadhrat Zuabir  presented Rasulullah  and Hadhrat Abu Bakr
 with white clothing.
According to Ibn Abi Shaybah’s narration, Hadhrat Talhah  also offered
some clothing to these two personalities.
Incident of Buraidah Aslami

As they pushed ahead, Buraidah Aslami, like Suraaqah, was also hunting for
Rasulullah  with seventy other searchers. He also fancied the coveted one
hundred-camel-reward offered by the Quraysh. As he drew closer, Rasulullah
 asked him: “Who are you?” “I am Buraidah,” he replied.
Turning towards Abu Bakr , Rasulullah , taking a favourable

omen, remarked: “O Abu Bakr! Our concerns have cooled down and they have
been resolved.” (His name was Buraidah. It is a diminutive of Bard, which means
coolness. So when he mentioned that his name is Buraidah, Rasulullah 
took this as a good omen that now their anxieties will be cooled down.)
He then asked: “From which tribe do you hail?”
“From Aslam,” he replied.
Turning towards Abu Bakr , Rasulullah , as a good omen, said:
“We will remain safe. ”
“From which clan of the Aslam tribe do you come?” asked Rasulullah
.
He replied: “From the Banu Sahm.”
To this Rasulullah  responded: “Your Sahm (share of Islam) has
materialised.” In other words, you will get a share of Islam.
Buraidah then asked: “Who are you?”
Rasulullah  replied:
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ ورسول ا‬4‫انا ممد بن عبدا‬
“I am Muhammad, the son of ‘Abdullah and the Prophet of Allah.”
To this Buraidah said:
ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ّٰ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫ َوان م َّم ًدا ع ۡب ُدهُ َو َر ُس ۡو ُل‬4‫ا‬ Oِ ‫ ا ِل ا‬O ‫اشهد ان‬
“I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and certainly
Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”
Buraidah, together with the seventy others accompanying him all embraced Islam.
Buraidah then voiced his advice to Rasulullah  saying: “You should
hoist a flag abreast of you as you are entering Madinah.” Rasulullah 
removed his ‘Imaamah (turban) and lashing it onto a spear, he offered it to
Buraidah . When Rasulullah  ultimately entered Madinah
Munawwarah, Buraidah was walking ahead of him bearing this flag.
The delightful news of Rasulullah’s  departure and his imminent
arrival in Madinah Munawwarah had already reached the inhabitants of Madinah.
Driven by an ardent yearning to lay eyes on him, every single individual of
Madinah would come and await his arrival at a place called Harrah (on the
outskirts of Madinah). This was their daily ritual. One day, as they were leaving
without catching sight of him, a Jew who was atop one of the hillocks of Madinah,
ecstatically and inadvertently shouted out:
Chapter 9 171
ُ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ن ق ِۡيله هذا َج ُّدك ۡم‬ِ ‫يا ب‬
“O children of Qilah! Here comes your source of good fortune and blessings.”
The moment the Ansaar heard this delightful news, they were overcome with
ecstatic joy and in unreserved exhilaration, they hastened to welcome him. The
entire locality of Bani ‘Amr bin Awf reverberated with the cries of Takbeer.
Approximately three miles (South of) Madinah is a locality called Quba. Here,
a few families of the Ansaar resided. These inhabitants were predominantly made
up of the family of ‘Amr bin ‘Awf and the chieftain of this family was Kulsoom bin
Hadam. When Rasulullah  landed at Quba, he put up at the house of
Kulsoom bin Hadam whilst Hadhrat Abu Bakr  stayed at the house of Khabib
bin Isaaf. The Ansaar would come to him in droves from all around the vicinity
and with fervent conviction they would present themselves to offer their
enthusiastic and passionate Salaam.
After the departure of Rasulullah  from Makkah, Hadhrat Ali 
stayed over in Makkah for another three days. Once he surrendered the property of
the people entrusted to him by Rasulullah  just before he set out for
Hijrah, Hadhrat Ali  also left Makkah. He joined Rasulullah  in
Quba and he also put up with Rasulullah  at the house of Kulsoom bin
Hadam.
Foundation of Masjidut Taqwa

Subsequent to his arrival in Quba, the first task Rasulullah  undertook to
do was the laying of the foundation of a Masjid. He brought a stone with his own
blessed hands and placed it in the direction of the Qiblah. Abu Bakr  and
then ‘Umar  also placed a stone each in the same direction. After them, the
other Sahaabah  fetched a stone each and then the actual construction of the
Masjid started in earnest. With the Sahaabah , Rasulullah  would
also lug heavy boulders. At times, to clutch it more firmly, he would hold it close to
his blessed stomach. The Sahaabah  would urge him to leave it but
Rasulullah  would not yield to their appeals.
In regards to this very Masjid, the following verse was revealed:
ۡ ٌ ۡ ْ ٌ
MN‫ ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ رﺟﺎل ﻳ ﺤ ﺒ ۡﻮن ان ﻳﺘ ﻄ ﻬﺮ ۡوا‬MN‫اﻟﺘﻘ ٰﻮي ﻣ ْﻦ ا ول ﻳ ْﻮ ٍم اﺣ ﻖ ان ﺗ ﻘ ۡﻮم ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ‬
¤ ‫ﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ ا ﺳﺲ ﻋ‬

ۡ ْ
﴾۱۰۸﴿ ‫ﺐ اﻟ ﻤ ﻄ ﻬﺮﻳﻦ‬ ‫واﷲ ﻳ ﺤ‬

“Surely the Masjid that was erected upon Taqwa (Allah-consciousness) from the
first day is more befitting that you stand (for Salaah) within it. In it are men who
love (physical and spiritual) cleanliness. And Allah loves those who purify
themselves.” [Surah Taubah verse 108]
When this verse was revealed, Rasulullah  asked ‘Amr bin ‘Awf: “On
what type of Tahaarat (purity) did you attract the praise of Allah?”
The people of Bani ‘Amr replied: “O Rasulullah ! After using clods of
earth, we make Istinjaa (cleansing of the private parts) with water as well. Perhaps
this type of twofold Tahaarat (purity) appeals to Allah Ta’ala, hence, our
commendation in the Qur-aan.”
Rasulullah  remarked: “Yes, this is the practice which has attracted
divine recognition. You should stick firmly to this custom and remain attached to
it.”
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar  relates: “Rasulullah  would visit Masjid-
e-Quba every Saturday. Sometimes he would go on foot and at times he would go
mounted on a conveyance. He would offer two Rakaat Salaah in the Masjid.”
Sahal bin Hunaif  narrates: “Rasulullah  said: ‘He who
performs Wudhu at home and performs two Rakaat Salaah in Masjid-e-Quba will
acquire the Sawaab of an Umrah’.”
Date of Hijrah
The day Rasulullah  made his regal presence in Quba during the journey
of Hijrah, was a Monday and the date was the twelfth of Rabi-ul-Awwal thirteen
years after prophethood.
According to the scholars of Seerah, Rasulullah  left Makkah on
Thursday the twenty-seventh of Safar. Following his sojourn of three days in the
cave of Saur, he left for Madinah Munawwarah on Monday, the first of Rabi-ul-
Awwal. Travelling on the coastal route, Rasulullah  made his august
appearance in Quba on Monday afternoon the eighth of Rabi-ul-Awwal.
The Inception of the Islamic Calendar

In accordance with the directive of Rasulullah , this day signals the start
of the Islamic calendar. When Rasulullah  appeared in Madinah
Munawwarah, he instructed (the Muslims) to use the month of Rabi’ul-Awwal of
that year as the launch of the Islamic calendar. The more favoured view is that the
inception of the Islamic calendar was launched during the Caliphate of Hadhrat
‘Umar . Once Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash’ari  wrote to Hadhrat ‘Umar
 saying that although his imperial correspondence reaches him, his letters are
all undated. Subsequently, in the seventeenth year of Hijrah, Hadhrat ‘Umar 
summoned the Sahaabah  to discuss the issue regarding the inception of the
Chapter 9 173
Islamic calendar. Some of them proposed that the day Rasulullah  was
blessed with Prophethood should be the day of the inception of the Islamic
calendar. Others suggested the Hijrah whilst some felt that the date of Rasulullah’s
 demise should be the inception of this calendar. Finally Hadhrat ‘Umar
 proposed: “The inception of the Islamic calendar should be the Hijrah
because this migration was the differentiating factor between truth and falsehood.
It was the Hijrah that heralded the honour and dominance of Islam.” Everyone
unanimously sanctioned this proposal.
Some of the Sahaabah  suggested that the year commence with the
month of Ramadhaan. To this Hadhrat ‘Umar  replied: “No, Muharram seems
the most appropriate month to start the calendar because people generally return
from Haj in the month of Muharram.” Subsequently, they all agreed to this
proposal.
Imaam Sarakhsi  writes: “When ‘Umar  assembled the Sahaabah
 to discuss the issue of determining the Islamic calendar, some of the
Sahaabah  suggested that the inception of the calendar be determined from
the day of Rasulullah’s  blessed birth. However, Hadhrat ‘Umar 
was somewhat averse to this view as this bore a resemblance to the practice of the
Christians. The Christian calendar commences from the holy birth of Hadhrat ‘Isa
. Some people proposed that the Islamic calendar commence from the demise
of Rasulullah . Hadhrat ‘Umar  declined to adopt this proposal as
well. The demise of Rasulullah  was a tragic calamity and a misfortune to
befall this Ummah. This is why Hadhrat ‘Umar  was disinclined to this
proposal. After much debate and deliberation, the attendees agreed that the Islamic
calendar commence from the Hijrah. Farooq A‘zam (Hadhrat ‘Umar ) was
inclined to this view because Hijrah was the differentiating factor between truth
(Haq) and falsehood (Baatil). This was when the Sha‘aair (prominent Ibaadaat) like
Jumu‘ah and ‘Eidain were openly observed.
Following a short stay of a few days in Quba, Rasulullah  mounted
his camel and departed for Madinah on a Friday. En route lies the locality of Banu
Saalim. Since the time of Jumu‘ah had set in, Rasulullah  performed
Jumu‘ah here. This was the first Khutbah and Jumu‘ah in Islam.
Khutbatut-Taqwa (First Khutbah and Jumu‘ah)

This is such a Khutbah (sermon) whose every single letter was saturated in
eloquence, whose every letter was a source of spiritual remedy for spiritual
ailments, whose words were a source of life for spiritually numb hearts and whose
every word is more sweeter and delectable than exquisite wine. The celebrated
Khutbah is as follows:
‫‪174‬‬ ‫‪Seeratul Mustafa ‬‬
‫ّٰ‬ ‫)ا َ ۡ َ‬
‫ل ۡم ُد ِ‪ (ِ4‬احد ه واستعينه واستغفره واستهديه واومن به و‪O‬‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫اكفر‪ .‬واعدي من يكفره واشهد ان ‪ O‬ال ا‪ O‬ا‪ 4‬وحده ‪ O‬شيك‬
‫ل وان ممدا عبده و رسول ارسله بالهدى والور والموعظة < فتة‬
‫من الرسل وقلة من العلم وض‪K‬لة من الاس وانقطاع من الزمان و‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫دنو من الساعة و قرب من ا‪O‬جل‪ .‬من يطع ا‪ 4‬و رسول فقد رشد‬
‫ومن يعصهما فقد غوي و فرط وضل ض‪ K‬بعيدا واوصيكم بتقوى‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ّٰ‬
‫المسلم المسلم ان يضه < ا‪O‬خرة وان‬ ‫ا‪ 4‬فانه خي ما اوص به‬
‫ّٰ‬ ‫ّٰ‬
‫يامره بتقوى ا‪ 4‬فاحذروا ما حذركم ا‪ 4‬من نفسه و‪ O‬افضل من‬
‫ّٰ‬ ‫ً‬
‫ذلك نصيحة و‪ O‬افضل من ذلك ذكري وان تقوى ا‪ 4‬لمن عمل به‬
‫< وجل ومافة من ربه عون صدق < ما تبغون من امر ا‪O‬خرة‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫ومن يصلح الي بينه و بي ا‪ 4‬من امره ف الس والع‪K‬نية ‪ O‬ينوي‬
‫ً‬ ‫ّٰ‬
‫بذلك ا‪ O‬وجه ا‪ 4‬يكن ل ذكرا ف عجل امره وذخرا فيما بعد‬
‫الموت حي يفتقر المرء ا¯ ما قدم وما كن من سوى ذلك يود لو ان‬
‫ّٰ‬ ‫ّٰ‬
‫بينه و بينه امدا بعيدا‪ .‬ويحذركم ا‪ 4‬نفسه وا‪ 4‬رؤوف بالعباد‬
‫والي صدق قول انز وعده ‪ O‬خلف للك فانه يقول عزوجل ما‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫يبدل القول لي وما انا بظ‪ٍ K‬ا للعبيد فاتقوا ا‪ 4‬ف عجل امركم‬
‫عنه ّ‬‫ا‪ 4‬يكفر ُ‬ ‫ّٰ‬ ‫ٰ‬
‫سيأته ويعظم‬ ‫واجله ف الس والع‪K‬نية فانه من يتق‬
‫ّ‬ ‫ّٰ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ّٰ‬ ‫ً‬
‫ل اجرا ومن يتق ا‪ 4‬فقد فاز فوزا عظيما وان تقوى ا‪ 4‬يُ َو ِق مقته‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫ويوق عقوبته و يوق سخطه وان تقوى ا‪ 4‬يبيض الوجوه ويرض‬
‫ّٰ‬
‫الرب ويرفع الرجة خذوا بظكم‪ .‬و‪ O‬تفرطوا ف جنب ا‪ 4‬قد‬
Chapter 9 175
ّٰ
‫ كتابه ونهج لكم سبيله لعلم الين صدقوا و يعلم‬4‫علمكم ا‬
ّٰ
.‫ الكم و عدوا اعداءه‬4‫الكذبي فاحسنوا كما احسن ا‬
ُ
‫وس َّماك ُم المسلمي لهلك من هلك عن بين ٍة ويح‬ َ ‫هواجتباكم‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ واعملوا لما بعد‬4‫ فاكثوا ذكر ا‬4‫ با‬O‫ قوة ا‬O‫من ح عن بينة و‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ ما بينه و بي‬4‫ يكفه ا‬4‫الوم فانه من يصلح ما بينه وبي ا‬
ّٰ
‫ يقضون عليه و يملك من‬O‫ يقض < الاس و‬4‫الاس ذلك بان ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ العظيم‬4‫ با‬O‫ قوة ا‬O‫ اكب و‬4‫ وا‬.‫ يملكون منه‬O‫الاس و‬
“All praise is due to Allah. I glorify Him, I beseech His assistance, I beg His
forgiveness and I plead for His divine guidance. I believe in Him and I renounce
disbelief in Him. In fact I oppose those who disbelieve in Allah. I bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship besides Allah, He has no partner and I testify that
Muhammad  is His slave and messenger. He was commissioned by Allah
(to this earth) with guidance, spiritual radiance and good counsel at a time when
the succession of Prophets had terminated and at a time when there was a dearth of
knowledge and when people were spiritually deviated and close to the day of
judgement.
He who obeys Allah and His Rasool is rightly guided whilst he who disobeys them
has gone astray, transgressed and he is awfully deviated.
I advise you to adhere firmly to Taqwa (Allah-consciousness) because the best
advice one Muslim can impart to another Muslim is that he persuades him to
harbour concern for the hereafter and that he enjoins him to adhere to Taqwa.
So beware of that which Allah Himself has warned you about. There is no better
advice than Taqwa. Certainly the Taqwa of Allah Ta’ala and fear for Him is an
ideal benefactor for the hereafter.
He who rectifies his external as well as his internal affairs with Allah Ta’ala and
his intention is nothing but the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, this spiritual and physical
rectification will be a source of esteem for him in this world and a source of
immense treasure for him upon his death when a person is in dire need of his good
deeds. As for him who adopts anything contrary to this Taqwa, he would, on that
day, wish there be a considerable distance between him and his evil deeds. And
Allah cautions you about Himself (His punishment etc.) and (this caution is
because) Allah is most kind to His servants.
The word of Allah is true. He executes His promises. There is no reneging on His
promises because Allah Ta’ala declares: ‘The word that emanates from Me cannot
be altered’.
So fear Allah in your external and internal affairs and in the issues related to this
world and the hereafter. ‘He who adopts Taqwa, Allah will wipe out his sins and
grant him an enormous reward. And he who adopts Taqwa has attained enormous
success. Taqwa is something that thwarts the wrath, punishment and anger of
Allah. The Taqwa of Allah will spiritually illuminate the faces on the day of
judgement and it will be a source of acquiring the pleasure of Allah and a source of
elevated ranks in the hereafter. Take your share (of this Taqwa) whatever you can
manage and do not be lacking in the affairs of Allah. Allah has revealed a book for
your guidance and He has clarified His path to differentiate between the truthful
and the liars. So, just as Allah has favoured you, you should also be favourable (in
complying with His instructions). Harbour enmity towards His enemies and
implement Jihaad in His path.
Allah has chosen you and He has named you as Muslims (His obedient servants).
The objective of Allah is: that he who is to be destroyed will be destroyed even after
clear evidence and he who is to live (as a believer) will live (with insight) after clear
evidence.
There is no might and power besides Allah. Remember Allah abundantly and
practice for the time after this day (hereafter). He who rectifies his affairs with
Allah, Allah will suffice for him against the people and nobody will be able to harm
him because the decree of Allah is executed upon the people and the will of the
people is not implemented upon Allah. He is the exclusive master and owner of the
people whilst the people do not own anything of Allah. He controls the people and
they have no control whatsoever over Him.
Allah is the greatest. And there is no power and might save in the control of Allah,
the most magnificent.”
Note: This was the first Khutbah delivered by Rasulullah  after the
Hijrah. In spite of spending thirteen long years in the tyrannical grip of the
disbelievers, he uttered neither a scathing word nor a complaint against his
enemies. Besides Taqwa, Allah-consciousness and preparation for the hereafter, he
mentioned nothing else. No doubt Rasulullah  perfectly fitted the verse
‘certainly you are upon magnificent character’.
Upon the completion of Jumu‘ah, Rasulullah  mounted his camel
and set out in the direction of Madinah. He seated Abu Bakr  directly behind
him on the camel. A vast number of Ansaar, armed with their weaponry, were
walking to his right, to his left and behind him.
Chapter 9 177
Every single resident of Madinah cherished a hope of entertaining Rasulullah

 in his home. From every corner, fervently excited and impassioned pleas
of invitation were extended to Rasulullah . Each resident implored him to
come to his house. Rasulullah  would make dua for them and reply: “This
camel is commanded by Allah. Wherever she sits down with the decree of Allah, I
will put up there.”
Rasulullah  left the reins absolutely loose. He would not even nudge
the animal in any direction.
There was such an enthusiastic atmosphere in the air that to catch a glimpse of
this prophetic magnificence, the ladies clambered upon the roofs of their houses
singing:
ْ
ِ ‫ات ال َو َد‬
َ َ ََ ْ ْ َ
‫اع‬ ِ ‫َطل َع الَد ُر عليْنا ِم ْن ثن ِ َّي‬
“The full moon has glowed upon us from the valley of Wad‘aa.
َ ْ ُّ َ َ َ
ٍ ‫ ِ َد‬4ّٰ ِ ‫ب الشك ُر َعليْ َنا َما َد َع‬
‫اع‬ ‫وج‬
Gratitude towards Allah is essential upon us as long as there remains a caller to
Allah.
ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُّ َ
ِ ‫ ْم ِر ال ُم َط‬O‫ت ب ِا‬
‫اع‬ ‫جئ‬
ِ ‫ايها المبعوث ِفينا‬
O you who has been sent unto us! You have come to us with something that has to
be adhered to.”
The younger girls of Banu Najjaar were chanting:
‫جوار من بن الجار يا حبذا ممد من جار‬

ٍ ‫نن‬
“We are the lasses of Banu Najjaar, Oh! What a pleasure having Muhammad
 as a neighbour.”
Unable to control their delight, every single tongue was exclaiming:
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ جاء رسول ا‬.4‫جاء نب ا‬
“Here comes the Nabi of Allah. Here comes the Rasool of Allah.”
Baraa bin ‘Aazib  says: “I have not witnessed the people of Madinah as
ecstatic as they were on the day Rasulullah  appeared in Madinah.”
Anas  says: “When Rasulullah  landed in Madinah, the
Abyssinians, as an expression of their delight, put on a demonstration of skilful
archery. When Rasulullah  appeared in Madinah, every single particle
glowed with radiance and the day he passed away, everything was looking gloomy.
We barely dusted our hands after burying him when we found that our hearts had
already undergone (some spiritual) transformation.”
Nonetheless, this blessed camel with its majestic mount forged ahead with
these enthusiasts thronging around him from the right and left. These were the
chosen souls whom Allah Ta’ala had selected for the fervent love and sincere
devotion of His beloved Rasool . Their love for him was so intense that
not an iota of space was left for anyone else. By Allah! What I am saying is
unquestionably true. This is not merely metaphorical language and an occasion for
figurative expressions. The Sahaabah  were indeed like this. Whilst
Rasulullah  was riding his camel, each one of them lowered his gaze in
longing as though they ‘spread their eyes as a carpet’ before him.
Overwhelmed with unbridled joy and overcome with uncontainable emotions
of love, some of the Sahaabah  would attempt to seize the reins of the camel
but Rasulullah  would gently advise them:
ٌ‫َد ُع ْو َها فَا َّن َها َما ْ ُم ْو َرة‬
ِ
“Leave her alone as she is divinely commanded.”
In due course, the camel ended up in the locality of Banu Najjaar (Rasulullah’s
 maternal relatives) where, without any prompting, she halted right at
the spot where the door of Masjidun-Nabawi would be. However, Rasulullah
 did not alight. The camel then got up and proceeded to sit down at Abu
Ayyub Ansaari’s  door. A little while later, she arose and proceeded to sit at
the first location where she lowered her head onto the ground.
At this moment, Rasulullah  alighted from his camel and Abu
Ayyub  carried his goods into the house.
Rasulullah  also felt predisposed to residing in the locality of Banu
Najjaar. Najjaar was Rasulullah’s  grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muttalib’s
mother’s brother. Rasulullah  aimed to enhance their status and
reverence as well. However, Allah Ta’ala also fulfilled Rasulullah’s 
heartfelt desire in a rather miraculous manner. Rasulullah  was made to
let the reins of the camel hang loose so that it appeared that he had no say in the
direction the camel took. Furthermore, Rasulullah  did not target any
specific house to settle in. This was done to ensure that his enthusiasts’ hearts
remain free from any form of personal rivalry and contention and so that they
appreciate the fact that Rasulullah  himself had no part in this decision.
The camel was divinely commanded by Allah Ta’ala. It would halt wherever it was
directed to. Rasulullah  was merely waiting for Allah Ta’ala’s signal.
So in this manner, Allah Ta’ala fulfilled the aspiration of Rasulullah 
and in regards to the Sahaabah , Allah Ta’ala rendered this descent a
Chapter 9 179
miraculous feat that ensured that their hearts remain free of rivalry, jealousy and
malice. All of them realised that choosing Abu Ayyub Ansaari’s  home was
not of his own accord but this was pre-ordained by Allah Ta’ala.
ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّٰ َ ُ ٓ َ َّ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ َ ٰ
‫ ذوالفض ِل ال َع ِظ ۡي ِم‬4‫ا‬‫ِ يؤتِيهِ من يشاء و‬4‫ذل ِك فضل ا‬
“That is the Fadl (grace) of Allah that He bestows upon whosoever He wishes. And
Allah is magnificent, great.”
Furthermore, when Tubb‘a, the emperor of Yemen, happened to pass by the land of
Madinah, four hundred ‘Ulama of the Tawrat were also with him. They requested
the king to allow them to settle down in this area. When he enquired the reason,
they replied: “We find in the manuscripts of the Prophets that towards the end of
time, a Prophet by the name of Muhammad will appear. This region is reported to
be his Daarul-Hijrah (place of migration).” The emperor allowed them to settle
down there. He constructed a separate house for each one of them. He got them all
married and liberally provided them with ample wealth. He put up a home
especially for Rasulullah  with the belief that when the final Messenger
migrates to this area, he may reside therein. He even composed a letter to
Rasulullah  in which he expressed his faith in him and his ardent desire
to behold him.
The focus of the letter is summed up in the following poetic words:
ّٰ
‫ باري النسم‬4‫شهدت < احد انه رسول من ا‬
“I bear testimony upon Ahmad that he is the messenger of Allah, the Creator of life.
‫فلو مد عمري ا¯ عمره لكنت وزيرا ل وابن عم‬

If my era has to connect with his era I would certainly become his supporter and
devotee.
‫وجاهدت بالسيف اعدآءه وفرجت عن صدره ك غم‬

I would challenge his enemies with the sword and I would eliminate all woe from
his heart.”
Tubb‘a, the emperor then sealed the letter with a royal seal. Entrusting the letter to
one of the ‘Ulama, he said: “If you happen to come across the era of this final
messenger, hand this epistle over to him otherwise hand it over to your children
and enjoin them with the same advice I am imparting to you.”
Hadhrat Abu Ayyub  is a descendant of this very Aalim and his house
was the very same house which Emperor Tubb‘a constructed for the final
messenger to reside in whenever he happened to migrate this way. The Ansaar
were descendants of these four hundred ‘Ulama.
Nonetheless, the camel went and halted at the door of the house, which Tubb‘a
had constructed with Rasulullah  in mind.
It is said that on the arrival of Rasulullah  in Madinah
Munawwarah, Abu Ayyub Ansaari  presented the royal poetic epistle of
emperor Tubb‘a to Rasulullah . And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Abu Ayyub Ansaari  insisted that Rasulullah  reside on the
upper floor whilst he and his family would reside on the lower floor. However,
Rasulullah  felt that since he would be getting a stream of visitors all the
time, it would be inconvenient for Abu Ayyub and his family to reside on the
lower floor. This is why Rasulullah  did not agree to reside on the upper
floor. He preferred the lower floor.
Hadhrat Abu Ayyub  says: “This is how we came to live on the upper
floor. One day a water container fell and broke. Flushed with agitation, we swiftly
spread our blanket over it to absorb the water before it seeped down to the lower
floor. Umme Ayyub and myself promptly mopped up the area with our blanket.
This was the only blanket we possessed.
“Daily we would prepare meals for Rasulullah  and send it down to
him. He would send the leftover back to us. As a form of acquiring his Tabarruk
(blessings), Umme Ayyub and I would search for the spot he ate from and we
would also eat from there as well. One day we added a bit of garlic and onions to
the food. When he sent it back to us, we were quite perturbed to find no
impressions of his fingers on any part of the food. Overcome with agitation, I went
to Rasulullah  and submitted: “O Rasulullah! You sent the food back to us
without partaking any morsel of it. We found no impression of your fingers in it.
Umme Ayyub and I deliberately eat from the spot that your blessed fingers left
impressions on.”
Rasulullah  replied: “I perceived the odour of garlic and onions in
the food. You may go ahead and eat it. Since I communicate with the angels, I
abstain from such food-stuffs.”
Abu Ayyub  says: “From that day on, we did not add onions and garlic
to his food.”
The Appearance of the Rabbis before Rasulullah 
When Rasulullah  landed at Madinah Munawwarah, the ‘Ulama of the

Jews (Rabbis) appeared before him and posed a variety of questions to him. On the
basis of the glad tidings of the previous Ambiyaa , they were well aware of
the imminent emergence of the final Messenger. They were well enlightened that
the final Messenger about whom Musa  issued glad tidings was on the verge
Chapter 9 181
of emerging from the land of Bathaa. The ‘Ulama of the Jews (Rabbis) were all
eagerly anticipating his arrival.
As mentioned earlier under the chapter dealing with Hijrah, when Rasulullah
 first presented Islam to the Ansaar, they conferred amongst themselves
agreeing that this was the very same Prophet about whom the Jews often referred
to. They said: “It must not be such that the Jews beat us to this good fortune and
virtue.”
It seems that the Jews were well aware that the appearance of the final
Messenger - in regards to whom Musa  had prophesied, was imminent. This
is why the Jews made a point of coming to visit Rasulullah . Those who
were divinely fortunate recognised him as the true Prophet the moment their eyes
fell on Rasulullah . Without a hint of hesitancy they embraced Islam
whilst those whose fate had decreed deprivation remained deprived of this
immeasurable gift of Imaan.
Ibn ‘Aaiz narrates on the authority of ‘Urwah bin Zubair  that from
amongst the Rabbis, the first person to appear before Rasulullah  was
Yaasir bin Akhtab, the brother of Huyayy bin Akhtab. When he heard the blessed
words of Rasulullah  and returned to his people, he addressed them:
‫اطيعون فان هذا الب الي كنا ننتظر‬

“Take heed of my advice and comply with me. This is the Nabi we were eagerly
awaiting.”
However, his brother Huyayy bin Akhtab refused to listen to him. Huyay was
considered the chief of his people. His people always adhered to what he required
them to do. Shaytaan subdued him and prevented him from acknowledging the
truth. The people complied with him and declined to obey his brother Yaasir.
When Rasulullah  arrived in Madinah Munawwarah, the Rabbis of
Madinah assembled in Baitul-Midraas (the Madrasah of the Jews) and following
mutual consultation, they resolved to put a few questions to this man (a reference
to Rasulullah ).
A Rabbi appeared before Rasulullah  whilst he was reciting the
verses of Surah Yusuf. The Rabbi enquired: “Muhammad! Who imparted the
knowledge of this Surah to you?” “Allah imparted its knowledge to me,” replied
Rasulullah . The Rabbi, overwhelmed with astonishment, hastened back
to the Jews and said: “Muhammad is reciting from a book that seems similar to the
Tauraat revealed upon Musa .”
Taking a group of Jews along with him, this Rabbi appeared once again before
Rasulullah . The moment they set eyes upon his physical appearance and
attributes, they realised that this was the very Nabi the Tauraat referred to. They
even scrutinised the seal of prophethood that appeared between his shoulder
blades. As Rasulullah  continued reciting Surah Yusuf, the amazement of

the Jews also intensified in proportion. All of them embraced Islam.
Abu Hurayah  narrates: “Once Rasulullah  addressed Ibn
Surya (a Rabbi), saying: ‘I appeal to you in the name of Allah to speak the truth.
Tell me, what is the punishment for a married adulterer in the Tauraat? What is the
ruling on stoning to death?’ Ibn Surya replied:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ يا ابا القاسم انهم لعرفون انك نب مرسل ولكنهم‬4‫اللهم نعم اما وا‬
‫يسدونك‬
‘O Allah! Yes! By Allah, this ruling is explicitly mentioned in the Taurah. O Abul-
Qaasim, the Jews are well-aware that you are a divinely commissioned Prophet but
they are unreservedly jealous of you.’”
Jaabir bin Samurah  narrated: “A Maqani Rabbi appeared before some
Sahaabah  and said: ‘Where is your companion who claims he is a Prophet?
I wish to pose a few questions to him that would enable me to determine whether
he really is a true Prophet or not.’ In the meantime, Rasulullah  turned up
before him. This Rabbi said: ‘Recite a bit what had been revealed to you.’
Rasulullah  recited a few verses of the Qur-aan before him. The instant
these verses fell onto his ears, he submitted: ‘By Allah! These words are similar to
the words conveyed by Musa ’.”
There are many similar incidents regarding the Rabbis and Jews who
embraced Islam at the hands of Rasulullah , eg. Zaid bin Sa‘nah 
etc.
Islam of ‘Abdullah bin Salaam 
‘Abdullah bin Salaam  was an eminent Aalim of the Tawrat. He was a

descendant of Hadhrat Yusuf . His original name was Husain. After he
embraced Islam, Rasulullah  changed his name to ‘Abdullah bin Salaam.
‘Abdullah bin Salaam  narrates his conversion to Islam thus:
‫فلما رأيت وجهه عرفت ان وجهه ليس بوجه كذاب‬

“The moment I received news of Rasulullah’s  arrival in Madinah, I set
out to meet him. The instant my gaze fell onto his face, I realised that this can never
be the face of a fraud.”
The first words I heard from his tongue were:
Chapter 9 183
‫رحام وصلوا‬O‫م وصلوا ا‬K‫ايها الاس اطعموا الطعام وافشوا الس‬

‫م‬K‫بالليل والاس نيام تدخلوا النة بس‬
“O People! Feed people, observe widespread Salaam, maintain favourable family ties
and perform Salaah at night whilst people are asleep, you will enter Jannah with
ease.”
‘Abdullah bin Salaam  narrates: “I was aware of Rasulullah’s 
name, attributes and physical appearance long before this. When I heard of
Rasulullah’s  imminent arrival in Madinah I was perched on a date palm
and from there I ecstatically called out the chant of Allahu Akbar. My father’s
sister, Khaalidah bint Haaris commented: ‘If you had heard of the arrival of Musa
, you wouldn’t have been as ecstatic as you are now.’ I replied: ‘By Allah!
This is also the brother of Musa. He is commissioned with the same Deen that
Musa  was commissioned with.’ My Aunt said: ‘Nephew! Is this the same
Nabi about whom we have been informed that he will be commissioned before the
advent of Qiyaamah (resurrection)?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘this is the same Nabi’.
I then left home and presenting myself before Rasulullah , I
embraced Islam. Thereafter I returned home and bade my family members to
embrace Islam as well. They too embraced Islam.”
‘Abdullah bin Salaam  continues: “I then requested Rasulullah
 to conceal me in a room and ask the Jews about me because the Jews are
a rather slanderous nation. When the Jews appeared before Rasulullah ,
he hid ‘Abdullah bin Salaam  in a room and said to them: “O assembly of
Jews! Fear Allah! I swear in the name of that being besides Whom there is none
worthy of worship, you are well aware that I am the true Messenger of Allah and I
have been commissioned with the truth. So embrace Islam.” The Jews, however,
said: “We know nothing of this sort.” Three times Rasulullah  appealed to
them to accept Islam and each time their response was the same.
He then asked them: “What type of person is ‘Abdullah bin Salaam amongst
you?” They replied: “He is our leader and the son of our leader. He is the best
amongst us and the son of the best.” Rasulullah  then asked: “If ‘Abdullah
bin Salaam expresses his faith in me, would you then believe that I am a true
Prophet?” They replied: “Under no circumstances would ‘Abdullah bin Salaam
embrace Islam.” Rasulullah  asked: “If, hypothetically speaking, he does
embrace Islam?” They shrieked: “Certainly not! He can never ever embrace Islam.”
Rasulullah  said: “O ‘Abdullah bin Salaam! Show yourself to these
people.” As he emerged from this room, he revealed:
ّٰ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َّ َ ٰ َّ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
ِ4‫ َواش َه ُد ان م َّم ًدا َّر ُس ۡول ا‬4‫ا‬ Oِ ‫ ا ِل ا‬O ‫اشهد ان‬
“I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah.”
He then addressed the Jews saying: “O assembly of Jews! Fear Allah! I swear in the
name of that being besides Whom there is none worthy of worship, you are well
aware that he is the true Messenger of Allah and he has been commissioned with
the truth.”
They barely heard this when they screeched: “You (‘Abdullah bin Salaam) are
a liar and a fraud. You are the worst amongst us and the son of the worst.”
In this regard Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verses:
ْ ۡ ‫ ۤ ا ْﺳﺮآءﻳ‬0 ْ
ۡ ‫ﻦ ﺑ‬H ‫ﻞ ارءﻳ ۡﺘ ْﻢ ا ۡن ﻛﺎن ﻣ ْﻦ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ اﷲ و ﻛﻔ ْﺮﺗ ۡﻢ ﺑ ٖﻪ و ﺷﻬﺪ ﺷﺎﻫ ٌﺪ ﻣ‬
‫ ﻓ ٰﺎﻣﻦ و‬²
ٖ ‫ ﻣﺜ‬¤ٰ ‫ﻞ ﻋ‬
‫ﻗ‬

ْ ْ
﴾ ۱۰٪ ﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
ۡ
‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻠ‬
ٰ
‫اﻟﻈ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ﻮ‬ْ ‫ ان اﷲ ﻻ ﻳ ۡﻬﺪي اﻟْﻘ‬MN‫ﱪﺗ ْﻢ‬ ْ ‫اﺳﺘﻜ‬

“Say: ‘Tell me! If this (Qur-aan) is from Allah and you deny it whilst a witness from
the Bani Israa’eel (‘Abdullah bin Salaam ) testifies (that this Qur-aan is from
Allah) and he believes whilst you are too arrogant (to believe). Verily, Allah does
not guide the transgressing people.” [Surah Ahqaaf verse 10]
Islam of Maymun bin Yaameen 
Maymun bin Yaameen was also one of the Jewish leaders. He embraced Islam the
moment he set eyes upon Rasulullah . His conversion to Islam is similar
to that of ‘Abdullah bin Salaam .
Maymun bin Yaameen appeared before Rasulullah  and said: “O
Rasulullah! Summon the Jews and appoint me as a mediator. They will ultimately
confer with me.”
Rasulullah  bade him to sit in a concealed room and sent someone to
call the Jews. When they appeared before him, Rasulullah  requested
them to appoint an arbitrator between him and the Jews. They replied: “We are
pleased to appoint Maymun bin Yaameen as our arbitrator. We will gladly accept
whatever decision he makes.”
Rasulullah  then called out for Maymun  saying: “Maymun!
Come out.” As he emerged, he declared: “I testify that he is the messenger of
Allah.”
However, the Jews utterly refused to endorse this testimony.
Chapter 9 185
Islam of Salmaan bin Islam 
Salmaan was his name. Abu ‘Abdullah was his Kuniyyat (title). He is popularly
called Salmaan Al-Khayr (goodness), as though Salmaan was an embodiment of
goodness. He hailed from the town of Huyay in the vicinity of Hormuz in Persia.
He was a descendant of the Persian emperors. When anyone asked him: “Whose
son are you?” He would reply: “I am Salmaan, the son of Islam.”
In other words, Islam is the source of my spiritual presence. Islam is my
mentor and guide. What a wonderful father and what a majestic son.
Hadhrat Salmaan  reached a very old age. It is said that he was around
during the era of Hadhrat Maseeh ‘Isa bin Maryam . Some say that although
he was not around at that time, he was around during the time of one of his
Hawaari (disciples) or executors. All are unanimous that his age exceeded two
hundred and fifty.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says: “Salmaan Faarsi  related to me his story of
embracing Islam in the following manner:
‘I was a resident of a town called Huyay in Persia. My father was the
chieftain of this town. I was extraordinarily dear to him. He would protect me just
as virgin girls are protected. He would not allow me to step out of the house. We
were Zoroastrians (fire-worshippers) by faith. My father appointed me as an
overseer and guard over one of the fire-temples to ensure that the fire never goes
out. On one occasion, since my father was busy with some construction work, he
was forced to send me to inspect a farm or a piece of land. He stressed upon me not
to be late. I set out from home. En-route I came across a church from which I heard
some sounds. On closer inspection from the inside, I noticed a group of Christians
occupied in prayer. Their manner of prayer was tremendously appealing to me. I
thought to myself: ‘This religion far surpasses our religion’. I enquired from them:
‘Where is the origin of this religion?’ They replied: ‘In Palestine’.
The sun had already set by then. Nervously impatient, my father sent someone
to search for me. When I finally reached home, my father enquired: ‘Son! What
happened? Where were you?’ I recounted the whole incident to him. My father
commented: ‘There is nothing good in this religion (Christianity). The religion of
your forefathers (Zoroastrianism) is far better.’
I replied: ‘Never! The religion of the Christians is far better than our religion.’
My father shackled me in leg-irons and restricted me from leaving the house. This
was just like how Fir‘aun told Musa : ‘If you take anyone other than myself
as your lord, I will render you amongst the incarcerated.’
I forwarded a secret message to the Christians asking them to inform me when
the next caravan was departing for Syria (Palestine). Soon they sent me a message
that a trade caravan made up of Christians was about to return to Syria. The
moment I got the opportunity, I hurled my shackles aside, fled from home and
joined them.
As I reached Palestine, I made enquiries about the most distinguished priest

amongst the Christians. People directed me to a certain priest. I went to him and
related my whole story to him. I said to him: ‘I wish to stay in your company to
learn about your religion. I am incredibly fond of your religion and it really appeals
to me. If you permit, I would like to stay in your service and study this religion. I
would also like to perform my prayers with you.’
He responded favourably.
A few days later, I realised that this priest was not a morally upright person.
He was dreadfully greedy. He would instruct others to give alms. When they
brought their charities to him, he would not distribute it amongst the poor but he
would keep it for himself. In this manner, he had accumulated seven earthen-
vessels of gold coins. When he died and in good faith, people assembled to prepare
for his burial and shrouding etc., I disclosed his actual condition to them and
showed them the seven vessels of gold coins.
On ascertaining his true condition the people exclaimed: ‘By Allah! We will
never bury such a person. Eventually, his body was left suspended from a cross
where people furiously continued to pelt it with stones. Another priest was
appointed as his successor.’
Hadhrat Salmaan  continues: ‘(Prior to Islam) I have not come across a
person more abstinent from the dunya (worldly pursuits), more devoted to the
hereafter and more engrossed in his prayers than this priest. The level of adoration
I cherished for this man I had never cherished for anyone else. I remained in this
man’s company for many years. As his last moments in this world approached, I
submitted: ‘Offer me some parting advice; who should I stay with after your
departure?’ He replied: ‘In Musil there is a great Aalim. Go to him.’
I went to him and after his death, on his parting advice, I set off for another
Aalim in Nasibayn. I stayed in his company for some time. After his death, also
according to his counsel, I went to an Aalim in the city of ‘Umuriyyah where I
stayed in his company for a considerable time as well. On his deathbed, I
submitted: ‘I have lived in the company of so and so ‘Ulama. Tell me, where should
I head now?’ This Aalim said: ‘To the best of my knowledge there is not a single
Aalim on the straight path I can refer you to. However, the era for the appearance
of a Prophet is pretty close. This Prophet will tread the path of the creed of
Ibraaheem . He will make an appearance in the land of Arabia. He will
subsequently migrate to a land of date palms. If it is possible to gain access to him,
make sure you get there. His distinctive feature would be that he would not
consume charity but he would accept gifts. The seal of prophethood would be
embedded between his shoulder blades. Once your glance falls onto him you will
surely recognise him.’
During this time, I had accumulated a few goats and cows for myself.
Coincidentally I met up with a caravan heading towards Arabia. I begged them:
‘Take me along with you. I will pay you all these goats and cows I have in my
possession.’ They accepted my offering and took me along with them.
Chapter 9 187
As we reached the valley of Qura, they turned out to be treacherous to me.

They sold me as a slave to a Jew. When I joined him (to his house) I came across a
number of date palms. I imagined that perhaps this was the land I was seeking.
However, I was not at ease about this land when another Jew from Banu Qurayzah
approached this master and purchased me from him. He then brought me along
with him to Madinah. The moment I set foot in Madinah, I realised, by Allah, this
is the very land that was previously described to me.”
It appears in Sahih Bukhaari that Hadhrat Salmaan  says: “In this
manner I was purchased and sold more than ten times.” (Although people
nonchalantly purchased him for a few Dirhams, nobody realised his true worth.)
“I continued living with this Jewish master attending to his date plams in Banu
Qurayzah. In the meantime, Allah commissioned Rasulullah  at Makkah
but since I was in bondage and engaged in the service of my master, I was
completely in the dark about this. Rasulullah  migrated and landed in
Quba at Banu ‘Amr bin ‘Awf. One day, as I was busy right on the top of a date
palm whilst my master was seated beneath it, another Jew – my master’s father’s
brother’s son i.e. his cousin, appeared before him and said: ‘May Allah destroy the
Qilah (the Ansaar)! They are gathering around a Makkan man in Quba and they
claim that he is a Prophet and Messenger of Allah.’”
Salmaan  says:
ّٰ
ُ ‫ اخذتن‬O‫ ان هو ا‬4‫فوا‬
‫العروآءُ حت ظننت ان ساسقط < صاحب‬
“By Allah! This barely landed on my ears when I was seized by a spell of shivering. I
almost lost control of myself and thought I would collapse onto my master.”
The advent of the Basheer (bringer of glad tidings) and Nazeer (warner) left
Salmaan enraptured with delight and ravished by ecstasy so much so that if it
wasn’t for the divine spirit of “Had we not fortified her (Musa’s  mother’s)
heart, she would have disclosed it (that this is her son)”, he would have plummeted
headlong from the date palm.
Looking up at him, both the Jews were left astounded.
Nonetheless, he brought his heart under control and warily descended from
the palm. He continues: “I then asked the arriving Jew: ‘Tell me! What were you
just talking about? Enlighten me about this news as well.’
On hearing me soliciting this information, my master, raging with fury, struck
a severe blow to my face and warned: ‘What does this concern you?’
“As I wrapped up my work in the evening, I gathered up whatever wealth I
possessed and presented myself before Rasulullah . He was residing in
Quba at that time. I submitted: ‘I heard that you and your companions do not have
anything. All of you are in need. I wish to present some charity to you and your
friends.’ Rasulullah  declined to accept the charity for himself saying: ‘I
do not consume of charity.’ He then permitted the Sahaabah  to accept it.”
Salmaan  says: “I told myself that by Allah! This is one of the three
signs. I then returned home where I busied myself in accumulating a bit more
wealth. When Rasulullah  appeared in Madinah, I presented myself to
him a second time and submitted: ‘My heartfelt desire is to present something to
you. Since you do not accept charity, I have appeared before you with a gift.’
Rasulullah  accepted the gift from me. He himself ate from it and fed his
companions as well. I said to myself that this is the second sign.
“I then returned home and after a few days I presented myself before him yet
again. In the company of a Janaazah, Rasulullah  had just come into Baqi
cemetery. A group of the Sahaabah  were also with him. Whilst he was
sitting amongst them, I ventured up to him and offered Salaam. From there I rose
and went and sat behind him to get a view of the seal of prohethood. Rasulullah
 guessed my intention and removed his upper sheet from his blessed
back. I identified the seal the moment my gaze fell onto it. I stood up, tenderly
kissed the seal and burst out crying. Rasulullah  said: ‘Come in front of
me.’ I went before him and just as I am narrating this incident before you O Ibn
‘Abbaas, I recounted my entire story to Rasulullah  and his Sahaabah
 and in that very noble assembly I embraced Islam. Rasulullah 
was overjoyed.
After this I occupied myself in the service of my master. This is why I was
unable to take part in the battles of Badr and Uhud. Once, Rasulullah 
advised me: ‘Salmaan! Make a deal of Kitaabat with your master.’
When I spoke to my master, he said: ‘Surely, on condition you pay me forty
Awqiyah of gold. Furthermore, you should plant three hundred date palms. After
you have paid the forty Awqyiyahs of gold and the date palms start bearing fruit,
you are free.’ On the advice of Rasulullah , Salmaan  accepted this
arrangement. Rasulullah  then encouraged the people to assist me in
providing the saplings. The people wholeheartedly responded by providing these
saplings. Someone provided thirty saplings, another person twenty whilst a third
person provided fifteen and someone brought along ten. When we had
accumulated all three hundred palm-saplings, Rasulullah  said: ‘O
Salmaan! Dig holes for them.’ Once the holes were dug, Rasulullah 
planted them all with his own blessed hands and he made dua for Barakah as well.
Barely a year passed by when all of them started flowering and bearing fruit.
Not a single sapling died. Each and every one of them flourished with fruit. In this
manner, I managed fulfilling my obligation as far as the palms were concerned.
Only the liability of the gold remained.
One day a man appeared before Rasulullah  with gold equivalent to
a miniature egg. Rasulullah  asked: ‘Where is that poor Mukaatab slave?
Go and call him.’ When I turned up before him, he made over the gold to me
saying: ‘Take this. Allah will pay out your debts.’ I said: ‘This gold is very little, O
Chapter 9 189
Prophet of Allah. How will I manage paying my debts off?’ Rasulullah 

replied: ‘Go, Allah will pay your debts with this very amount.’
When I weighed it, I found it to be precisely forty Awqiyah of gold. In this
manner, I managed fulfilling my entire obligation and I, at long last, became a free
man. I then joined Rasulullah  in the battle of Khandaq. Even after this, I
stayed close to Rasulullah  in every subsequent battle.”
Erection of Masjid-e-Nabawi
The first spot the camel chose to sit on was a dates-drying area belonging to
orphans. Upon inquiry, Rasulullah  learnt that the plot of land belongs to
two orphans; Sahal and Suhail. Rasulullah  summoned both of them to
purchase this plot of land to erect a Masjid. Rasulullah  also spoke to
their uncle, in whose care these orphans were, about purchasing the land. Both of
them expressed a desire to donate the land to Rasulullah  without any
compensation whatsoever saying that they hoped to reap the compensation from
Allah Ta’ala alone. However, Rasulullah  declined to accept it without
any remuneration. He paid them for the land.
Rasulullah  instructed Abu Bakr  to pay for the plot of land.
Abu Bakr  paid ten Dinaars (gold coins) as a price for the land.
Thereafter Rasulullah  instructed the Sahaabah  to chop down
the date palms and level the graves of some disbelievers that were on the land. He
then instructed them to produce unbaked bricks and he himself joined the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar in the production of these bricks.
With the Sahaabah , Rasulullah  would lug these bricks and
chant:
‫ حال خيب هذا ابر ربنا واطهر‬O ‫هذا المال‬

“These loads are not the burdens of Khaybar, O our Lord, these loads are far better
and virtuous.”
Intermittently he would recite:
ّٰ
‫نصار والمهاجره‬O‫خره فارحم ا‬O‫جر اجر ا‬O‫اللهم ان ا‬
“O Allah! The actual reward is the reward of the hereafter. So shower Your mercy
upon the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar (who are focused upon the reward of the
hereafter only.)”
According to another narration, the words are:
ّٰ
‫نصار والمهاجره‬O‫خره فانـص ا‬O‫خي ا‬O‫خي ا‬O ‫اللهم‬
“O Allah! There is no goodness except in the goodness of the hereafter. So assist the
Muhaajireen and the Ansaar (who are aiming for the goodness of the hereafter
only).”
The Sahaabah , in the meantime were chanting:
‫لئ قعدنا والب يعمل لاك من العمل المضلل‬

“If we sit down whilst the Prophet toils, this action of ours (this sitting) would be
extremely detestable.”
Hadhrat Ali  was chanting the following couplet:
‫يدأب فيها قائما و قاعدا‬ ‫يستوي من يعمر المساجدا‬O
‫ومن يرى عن التاب حائدا‬

“He who indefatigably perseveres whilst standing and sitting in the erection of the
Masjid can never be on par with that person who protects his clothing from dust.”
Amongst those carrying stones was Hadhrat ‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon . He was
by nature an exceedingly neat and clean person. He was absolutely pre-disposed to
cleanliness and tidiness. Whenever he would lug the stones, he would carry them
away from his clothing. The moment a speck of dust would get onto his clothing,
he would promptly dust it off.
Hadhrat Ali  would humorously chant the words “he who protects his
clothing from dust” to Hadhrat ‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon .
It would not be surprising to learn that perhaps in this humorous indulgence,
Hadhrat Ali  wished to highlight the point that in such circumstances, dust
and dirt is far superior than being fussy about cleanliness, as it appears in the
Hadith, that a Haaji is he who has dishevelled hair and is dirty.
Talq bin Ali  narrates: “Rasulullah  instructed me to mix the
mortar. Taking a shovel in hand, I got up to mix the mortar.” He says: “I asked, O
Rasulullah ! Should I not carry the bricks as well?” Rasulullah 
replied: “No, you should rather stick to mixing mortar, as you are more skilled in
this field.”
This Masjid was unique in its simplicity. The walls were constructed of
unbaked brick. The pillars were hewn from the trunks of date palms. The roof was
fabricated from the leaves and branches of date palms. Whenever it rained, water
would seep through into the Masjid. Later on, the roof was plastered with mortar.
It was a hundred cubits long and approximately a hundred cubits wide. The
Chapter 9 191
foundations were about three cubits deep. The height was slightly higher than the
height of an average man. The Qiblah wall was facing Baitul-Muqaddas (in
Jerusalem). Three doors were erected in the Masjid structure. One door was placed
on the side where the Qiblah is today. The second door was positioned on the
western wall and is today referred to as Baabur-Rahmah. The third door was the
door frequently used by Rasulullah  and is today referred to as Baabu
Jibraa’eel.
After about sixteen or seventeen months, when the Qiblah direction was
moved from Baitul-Muqaddas to the K‘abah for the performance of Salaah, the
door at the back (previously the front) of the Masjid was sealed off and another
door was erected directly opposite it.
Masjid-e-Nabawi underwent contruction twice (during the time of Rasulullah
). The first when it was erected when Rasulullah  migrated and
put up at Abu Ayyub Ansaari’s house. The second time it was renovated in the
year seven Hijri after the battle of Khaybar when the Masjid fell into disrepair.
In the initial construction, the length and the breadth of the Masjid was under
a hundred cubits whilst it was extended to just over a hundred cubits in the
subsequent construction.
When Rasulullah  planned to extend the Masjid, he approached the
Ansaari owner of the adjoining plot of land and said: “Sell us this land in exchange
of a palace in Jannah.” However, the Ansaari, due to his poverty and excessive
dependants, was unable to offer the land for free. This is why Hadhrat ‘Usmaan
 purchased this plot in exchange of ten thousand Dirhams from this Ansaari.
Appearing before Rasulullah , he submitted: “O Rasulullah !
The plot of land you wished to purchase from the Ansaari in exchange of a palace
in Jannah, please purchase it from me (in exchange of that palace).” Rasulullah
 purchased this plot from Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  in exchange of a
palace in Jannah and incorporated this plot of land into the Masjid. Rasulullah
 placed the first brick with his own blessed hand and, as per his
instructions, the next brick was placed by Abu Bakr , then by ‘Umar ,
followed by ‘Usmaan  and then by Ali .
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah , who embraced Islam in the seventh year of
Hijrah, also joined them in this reconstruction of the Masjid. Abu Hurayrah 
himself narrates: “Rasulullah  himself was lugging the stones with the
Sahaabah  in the reconstruction of the Masjid. He was supporting the stones
onto his chest. I thought that he was holding them close to his chest because of
their substantial weight. I submitted: ‘O Rasulullah! Hand them over to me. I will
carry them.’ Rasulullah  replied: ‘Take another lot of stones, Abu
Hurayrah. There is no life but the life of the hereafter.’”
Erection of Rooms for the Wives

Once he completed the construction of the Masjid, Rasulullah  laid
foundations for the houses of his pure wives. Initially he built two rooms; one for
Hadhrat Sawdah bint Zama‘ah  and the other for Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah .
The additional rooms were built later on as the need arose.
Adjacent to the Masjid were the houses of Haarisah bin Nu‘maan Ansaari
. Whenever the need arose, Hadhrat Haarisah  would offer a house to
Rasulullah . In this manner, he offered all his houses, one after the other
to Rasulullah . Most of the rooms were built from branches of date palms
whilst some of them were built from unbaked brick. The doorways were covered
with rough Hessian or thick cloth. These structures were not even rooms. They
were examples of their asceticism and contentment. These rooms were epitomes of
the transitory nature of the dunya. Although lanterns were rarely lit at night
within these homes, there was really no need for any other source of illumination.
What is the need for a lantern or candle in a home wherein resides the Basheer and
Nazeer and the Siraaj-e-Muneer (illuminating lantern)? How aptly a poet describes
it when he says:
‫يا بديع الل والغنج لك سلطان < المهج‬

“O you with unique and exquisite features! Your kingship extends over the hearts.
‫ان بيتا انت ساكنه غي متاج ا¯ الـسج‬

Certainly the home wherein you reside does not require a lantern.
‫وجهك الما مول حجتنا يوم يأت الاس بالجج‬

Your blessed countenance will suffice for us as proof, the day when people will
present their proofs.”
Hasan Basri  says: “When I grew up a bit, whilst standing, my outstretched
hand could touch the roof of these rooms.”
These rooms were situated on the eastern side of the Masjid. There were no
rooms on the western side.
After the Demise of the Pure Wives

Following the demise of the wives of Rasulullah , on the royal decree of
Waleed bin ‘Abdul Malik, these rooms were demolished and the area included into
the Masjid. When this royal directive reached Madinah, the entire population of
Madinah cried out in anguish.
Chapter 9 193
Abu Umaamah Sahl bin Hunaif would often lament: “If only the original
structure of the rooms were left intact, people would have witnessed for themselves
how the Messenger who was divinely awarded the keys to the treasures of the
world passed his life in such simple rooms and huts.”
During this time, Rasulullah  sent Zaid bin Haarisah  and Abu
Raaf‘i  to Makkah to fetch Hadhrat Faatimah , Hadhrat Umme
Kulsoom  and Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat Sawdah . In their
company, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  sent his son ‘Abdullah to fetch Hadhrat
‘Aa’ishah, Hadhrat Asma, Hadhrat Umme Rumaan and ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Abi
Bakr .
By the time Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah  returned to Madinah,
Rasulullah  had already relocated from Abu Ayyub Ansaari’s 
house to these rooms.
Expansion of the Masjid by the Khulafaa

During his Caliphate, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  did not extend any portion of the
Masjid. He merely replaced with exactly the same date trunks some of the pillars
that had decomposed with age.
In the seventeenth year of Hijrah, Hadhrat ‘Umar  extended the Masjid
towards the Qiblah and the western side. Since the rooms of the Azwaaj-e-
Mutahharaat were situated towards the eastern side, he did not extend the Masjid
in this direction.
Although Hadhrat ‘Umar  extended the Masjid, he did not bring about
any substantial change in the actual façade and appearance of the structure. As was
in the case of Rasulullah , Hadhrat ‘Umar  also built the Masjid
with unbaked bricks. He hewed its pillars from the trunks of date palms and
erected the roof from branches and leaves. He upheld the former simplicity of the
original structure.
During his reign of Caliphate, Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  extended the Masjid
and instead of simple unbaked bricks, he reconstructed the Masjid using decorative
stones and lime as mortar. He remodelled the pillars from stone and replaced the
roof using a kind of hardwood timber.
When Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  resolved to revamp the Masjid in this manner,
the Sahaabah  were a bit offended to see the simplicity of Masjid-e-Nabawi
subject to such elaborate transformation. When Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  noticed
the Sahaabah’s  relentless refusal and their aversion for this, he addressed
them in one of his sermons saying:
ّٰ ّٰ
4 ‫ من بن‬،‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫انكم اكثتم وان سمعت الب صل ا‬
ّٰ
‫ ل مثله ف النة‬4‫مسجدا يبتغ به وجه ا‬
“You people have expressed numerous comments (about this proposed elaborate
structure). I heard Rasulullah  saying: ‘He who builds a Masjid for the
pleasure of Allah, Allah will surely build a palace similar to it in Jannah’.”
Construction commenced in Rabi‘ul-Awwal 29 A.H. and reached completion in
Muharram 30 A.H. According to this, the construction took at least ten months.
Imaam Maalik  narrates: “When Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  initiated the
renovation of the Masjid, K‘ab Ahbar would make dua thus: ‘O Allah! May this
construction never reach completion.’ When people enquired the reason for him
making dua like this, he replied: ‘The moment the renovation draws to a close, the
Fitnahs (divine tribulations) will start to descend from the sky.’”
Site of Janaazah Salaah

Abu Sa’eed Khudri  narrates: “When Rasulullah  migrated to
Madinah and if any of us was close to breathing his last, we would promptly notify
him. Rasulullah  would then come and make dua of Istighfaar
(forgiveness) for him. He would stay with the deceased right up to after his burial.
Quite often, Rasulullah  would get incredibly late. This is why we
decided to notify him after the actual death. This routine continued for a few days.
We would inform Rasulullah  of the death. He would come, perform the
Salaah and make dua of forgiveness etc. for the deceased. Sometimes he would
participate in the burial whilst at times he would return immediately after the
Salaah.
Afterwards, in view of Rasulullah’s  ease, we decided to take the
Mayyit (deceased) directly to his house. Rasulullah  would perform the
Janaazah Salaah in the vicinity of his house. This is why that area came to be
known as Mawda‘ul-Janaa’iz (place of Janaazah).”
Chapter 10
Brotherhood between the Muhaajireen and Ansaar
When the Muhaajireen migrated from Makkah leaving behind their children,
kinsfolk, homes and property and arrived in Madinah, Rasulullah 
established bonds of brotherhood between the Muhaajireen and Ansaar so that
their perplexing agitation brought about by their traumatic departure may be
replaced by the love and affection of the Ansaar. At times of need, they may assist
one another and console one another at times of bereavement. The weak may
acquire some strength from the brotherhood of the strong and powerful and the
weak may underpin his support for the strong. The fortunate may benefit from the
unfortunate whilst the unfortunate may benefit from the fortunate. The scattered
pearls of the Muhaajireen and Ansaar may be threaded into a single strand of
brotherhood and develop into a single entity without any form of disunity and
disharmony. All of them may hold firmly onto the rope of Allah Ta’ala. This
Ummah should be entirely safe from the dissension and disunity that brought
about the destruction of the Banu Israa’eel. Due to their unassailable unity, Allah
Ta’ala’s hand would remain over their heads. If, per chance, some arrogance of the
pre-Islamic days still remained within the hearts, this brotherhood would totally
eradicate it and instead of the heart harbouring pride, arrogance and conceit, the
hearts may cherish humility, meekness, brotherhood and beneficence. The servant
and the master, the superior and inferior, the king and the subjects were all brought
to stand on a single platform. All the ludicrous distinctive features of the world
were eliminated and Allah-consciousness and piety was restored as the sole
benchmark of nobility and eminence. Allah Ta’ala declares:
ٌ ۡ ‫ ان اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ ﺧﺒ‬M ‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ٰ ْ‫ﻛﺮﻣﻜ ْﻢ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ اﷲ اﺗ‬ ْ
﴾۱۳﴿ ‫ﲑ‬ ‫ﻘ‬ ‫ان ا‬

“Certainly, the most noble amongst you in the eyes of Allah are those who are the
most Allah-conscious.” [Surah Hujuraat verse 13]
195
It was with these benefits in mind that Rasulullah , even before Hijrah,
established bonds of brotherhood amongst the Muhaajireen whilst in Makkah.
After his migration to Madinah, he again instituted this union of brotherhood, this
time between the Muhaajireen and Ansaar. This association of brotherhood was
launched on two separate occasions; first amongst the Muhaajireen whereby one
Muhaajir was allied with another Muhaajir. This took place in Makkah. The second
phase of brotherhood took place in Madinah between the Muhaajireen and Ansaar.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that Rasulullah  established a bond of
brotherhood between Zubair  and ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  whereas
both of them were from the Muhaajireen.
Ibn ‘Umar  narrates: “Rasulullah  established a bond of
brotherhood between Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar , between so and so and so
and so”…..and he went on to mention a few others. Ali  enquired: “Who is
my brother, O Rasulullah ?” Rasulullah  replied: “I am your
brother.”
The bond of brotherhood established in Makkah before Hijrah was instituted
amongst the Muhaajireen as follows:
Brotherhood between:
1. Abu Bakr  & ‘Umar 
2. Hamzah  & Zaid bin Haarisah 
3. ‘Usmaan Ghani  & ‘Abdur Rahmaan bin ‘Awf 
4. Zubair bin ‘Awwaam  & ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood 
5. ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris  & Bilal bin Rabah 
6. Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  & S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas 
7. Abu ‘Ubaidah  & Saalim, slave of Huzaifah 
8. Sa’eed bin Zaid  & Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah 
9. Sayyidina Rasulullah  & Ali 
Second Occasion of Brotherhood

The second occasion of brotherhood was launched five months after Hijrah in
Hadhrat Anas’s  house between forty-five Muhaajireen and forty-five
Ansaar. Each Muhaajir was paired off with an Ansaari.
Some of them are listed below:
Chapter 10 197
Muhaajireen & Ansaar

1. Abu Bakr Siddeeq  & Khaarijah bin Zaid 
2. ‘Umar bin Khattaab  & ‘Atbaan bin Maalik 
3. Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarraah  & S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
4. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  & S‘ad bin Rab‘i 
5. Zubair bin ‘Awwaam  & Salaamah bin Salaamah bin Wuqaish 
6. ‘Usmaan bin Affaan  & Aws bin Saabit 
7. Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah  & K‘ab bin Maalik 
8. Sa’eed bin Zaid bin ‘Amr bin Nufail  & Ubayy bin K‘ab 
9. Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  & Abu Ayyub Khaalid bin Zaid Ansaari 
10. Abu Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah  & ‘Abbaad bin Bishr 
11. ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  & Huzaifah bin Yamaan 
12. Abu Zar Ghifaari  & Munzir bin ‘Amr 
13. Salmaan Faarsi  & Abud-Dardaa ‘Uwaymir bin S‘alabah 
14. Bilal  & Abu Ruwayhah ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdur-Rahmaan 
15. Haatib bin Abi Balta‘ah  & ‘Uwaim bin Saa’idah 
16. Abu Marsad  & ‘Ubaadah bin Saamit 
17. ‘Abdullah bin Jahash  &‘Aasim bin Thaabit 
18. ‘Utbah bin Ghazwaan  & Abu Dujaanah 
19. Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdul-Asad  & S‘ad bin Khaysamah 
20. ‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon  & Abul-Haysam bin Tayhaan 
21. ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris  & ‘Umair bin Hammaam 
22. Tufail bin Haaris  & ‘Ubaidah’s brother - Sufyaan Nasr Khazraji 
23. Safwaan bin Baydaa  & Raaf‘i bin Mu‘allaa 
24. Miqdaad  & ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
25. Zush-Shimaalain  & Yazeed bin Haaris 
26. Arqam  & Talhah bin Zaid 
27. Zaid bin Khattaab  & M‘an bin ‘Adi 

28. ‘Amr bin Suraaqah  & S‘ad bin Zaid 
29. ‘Aaqil bin Bukair  & Mubashir bin ‘Abdul-Munzir 
30. Khunais bin Huzaafah  & Munzir bin Muhammad 
31. Surrah bin Abi Ruhm  & ‘Ubaadh bin Khashkhash 
32. Mistah bin Usaasah  & Zaid bin Muzayyan 
33. ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan  & Mujazzir bin Dammaar 
34. ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah  & Haaris bin Simmah 
35. Muhajj‘a , slave of ‘Umar  & Suraaqah bin ‘Amr bin ‘Atiyyah

The right of brotherhood fulfilled by the Ansaar and the overriding degree of the
sincere sacrifices demonstrated by them is absolutely unique and without
comparison. Their generosity with the Muhaajireen as far as their wealth, lands
and assets is concerned is somewhat understandable in that they gave away their
physical wealth like date orchards etc. to the Muhaajireen but even beyond that,
they even offered their wives to the Muhaajireen. An Ansaari who had two wives
would offer his Muhaajir brother one of his two wives saying: “Select whichever
one you wish. I will divorce her and you may marry her (after the ‘Iddah period).”
Hadhrat Anas  narrates: “None of the Ansaar would ever regard anyone
more eligible to his wealth than his Muhaajir brother.”
When the Muhaajireen witnessed the unparalleled empathy and unrivalled
sacrifices of the Ansaar, they asked: “O Rasulullah ! We have not come
across anyone more compassionate, sincerely dedicated and more enthusiastically
devoted – whether in times of comfort or hardship – than these people amongst
whom we have put our roots. We fear that they will acquire all the reward whilst
we will be deprived.” Rasulullah  replied: “No, as long as you continue
making dua for them.”
In other words, your good turn of making dua for them is not in any way
inferior to their kindness of providing tangible wealth to you. In fact, making dua is
more superior to that. Let alone a few coins, if the riches of the entire world were
to be placed on one pan of the scale and just a single sincere dua is placed on the
other pan, Insha Allah, the pan of dua would far outweigh the pan of riches.
Whenever a beggar appeared before Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah , showering duas
upon her, as is the norm of beggars, she would first recompense him by responding
with dua and then she would give him some charity. Someone asked her: “O
Ummul-Mumineen! Why is it that you give a beggar charity and make dua for him
in the words he made dua for you?” She replied: “If I refrain from praying for him
Chapter 10 199
and simply give him alms only, his favour over me would be more superior to my
kindness over him because dua is far superior to alms-giving. This is why I offset
my dua against his dua so that my charity remains pure, it will not be in exchange
of anything.” So he who can give a few coins and earn himself sincere dua in the
process should not allow this opportunity to pass by.
Nonetheless, this union of brotherhood was so strong that it was considered as
enduring as a family relationship. When an Ansaari would leave this world, his
Muhaajir brother would inherit from him. Allah Ta‘ala says:
ۤ ْ ‫ واﻧ ۡﻔﺴ‬$
‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاو ۡوا و ﻧﺼﺮ ۡوا‬
‫ ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ و‬$
ْ ْ ۡ ٰ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣﻨ ۡﻮا وﻫﺎﺟﺮ ۡوا و‬
‫ﺟ ﻬ ﺪوا ﺑﺎ ﻣ ﻮاﻟ‬ ‫ا ن‬

ْ ْ ‫اوﻟ ¶ﻚ ﺑ ْﻌﻀ‬
MN‫ ا ْوﻟﻴﺂء ﺑﻌ ٍﺾ‬$

“Certainly those who believed and migrated and executed Jihaad in the path of
Allah with their wealth and lives, and those who provided refuge and help – these
are all allies (heirs) unto one another.” [Surah Anfaal verse 72]
However, this injunction favouring inheritance was subsequently rescinded and all
believers were declared to be brothers unto one another. The following verse was
revealed:
ْ ٌ ْ ْ
‫اﻧ ﻤﺎ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮن اﺧﻮة‬

“Certainly the believers are brothers (unto one another).” [Surah Hujuraat verse:10]
Now the bond of brotherhood was left only for mutual assistance, protection and
sympathy and inheritance was allotted specifically to family members only.
Inception of the Azaan

The Salaah’s of ‘Asr and Fajr were made mandatory right at the beginning of
prophethood. Subsequently, the remaining Salaahs were enjoined on the night of
Mi’raaj. All the Salaahs with the exception of Maghrib consisted of just two
Rakaats. After Hijrah the two Rakaats were left intact when travelling, whilst a
further two Rakaats were added in Zuhr, ‘Asr and Isha for those not travelling.
The prevailing practice was that people would assemble in the Masjid
whenever the time for Salaah would set in. Rasulullah  felt that there
should be some signal that would allow the people from the community to easily
assemble in the Masjid at once.
Someone suggested striking a Naaqus (bell) whilst someone else suggested
blowing a Buq (horn) to summon the faithful to Salaah. However, Rasulullah
 rejected the use of such devices as this would resemble the practice of
the Jews and Christians. The Christians used the Naaqus whilst the Jews used a
Buq. In short, Rasulullah  detested this degree of resemblance with the

Christians and Jews.
Someone proposed lighting a fire at an elevated spot. When people would
notice the flames, they would come to Salaah. Rasulullah  replied that
this is the custom of the Fire Worshippers. He abhorred resemblence with them as
well.
The assembly dispersed without reaching any concrete resolution. This
concern and unease of Rasulullah  had a profound effect on ‘Abdullah
bin Zaid bin ‘Abdi Rabbihi .
During the course of these discussions, ‘Abdullah bin Zaid saw a dream. He
says: “I saw a man dressed in green apparel clutching a bell in his hand walking
past me. I asked him: ‘Will you sell this bell to me?’ ‘What will you do with it?’ he
asked. I replied: ‘I will summon the people to Salaah by chiming the bell.’ The man
with the green apparel remarked: ‘Should I not enlighten you on something far
more superior than this?’ ‘Why not?’ I replied, ‘Surely.’
The man said: ‘Say the following words (to summon the people to prayer):
ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ
َُ‫ك‬ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ
َُ‫ك‬
‫ب‬ ‫ ا‬4‫ اكب ا‬4‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ ا‬4‫ اكب ا‬4‫ا‬
‘Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar.
ُ ّٰ Oَِّ ‫ ا ٰ َِل ا‬Oَّ ‫ا َ ۡش َه ُد ا َ ۡن‬
4‫ا‬ ُ ّٰ Oَِّ ‫ ا ٰ َِل ا‬Oَّ ‫ا َ ۡش َه ُد ا َ ۡن‬
4‫ا‬
Ash-hadu Al-Laailaaha Illallah, Ash-hadu Al-Laailaaha Illallah.
ّٰ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ ّٰ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ
ِ4‫اش َه ُد ان م َّم ًدا َّر ُس ۡول ا‬ ِ4‫اش َه ُد ان م َّم ًدا َّر ُس ۡول ا‬
Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah,
ٰ َّ َ َ َّ َ ٰ َّ َ َ َّ َ
ِ ‫الصلوة‬ <‫ح‬ ِ ‫الصلوة‬ <‫ح‬
Hayya ‘Alas-Salaah, Hayya ‘Alas-Salaah.
َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ
‫ ِح‬K‫ح < الف‬ ‫ ِح‬K‫ح < الف‬
Hayya ‘Alal-Falaah Hayya ‘Alal-Falaah.
ُ ّٰ Oَِّ ‫ ا ٰ َِل ا‬Oَ
4‫ا‬ ‫ب‬
ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ
َُ‫ك‬ ‫ ا‬4‫ اكب ا‬4‫ا‬
‘Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar.
Laa Ilaaha Illallah.’
Chapter 10 201
Shifting onto one side, the man then taught me the words of the Iqaamah saying:
‘Recite the same words when you stand for Salaah. After the words Hayya ‘Alal-
Falaah, add on the words ‘Qad Qaamatis-Salaah’ twice.’”
‘Abdullah bin Zaid  further relates: “The next morning, I presented
myself before Rasulullah  and related the dream to him. On hearing the
dream, Rasulullah  pronounced:
ّٰ
¯‫ تعا‬4‫ان هذه الرؤيا حق ان شاء ا‬
“Surely this dream is true, Insha Allah.”
Rasulullah  then directed ‘Abdullah bin Zaid  to teach Bilal 
the words of the Azaan so that he, Bilal , may call out the Azaan. Rasulullah
 told ‘Abdullah bin Zaid : “Let Bilal call out the Azaan as his voice
is louder than yours.”
Hadhrat Bilal  then called out the Azaan. When the words of the Azaan
reached the ears of Hadhrat ‘Umar , he hastened to Rasulullah 
heaving his sheet behind him. As he appeared before Rasulullah , ‘Umar
 submitted:
‫والي بعثك بالق لقد رايت مثل الي أري‬

“O Rasulullah ! By the Being Who has ordained you with Haqq (truth), I
have also seen (in the dream) what he (‘Abdullah bin Zaid) had been shown.”
Upon hearing this, Rasulullah  exclaimed: “So Allah be praised!”
Treaty with the Jews

The majority of the population of Madinah was made up of the Aws and Khazraj
tribes. However over an extended period of time, a significant number of Jews also
settled in Madinah. They had a number of Madrasahs and educational institutes in
Khaybar and Madinah. They also had a few fortresses in Khaybar. They were
referred to as Ahl-e-Kitaab (people of the scripture). Compared to the disbelievers,
they enjoyed educational superiority and distinction in the land of Hijaaz. On the
basis of their celestial scriptures, they were conscious of the conditions and
attributes of the final Messenger. Allah Ta’ala declares: “They recognise him just as
they recognise their (own) sons.” However, they were not people of sound
disposition. Jealousy, pride, obstinacy and defiance were their second nature. Allah
Ta’ala states: “And they (the Jews) refuted it (the Aayaat) wrongfully and
arrogantly even though their hearts were convinced (of the truth).”
Even whilst Rasulullah  was in Makkah, the Jews would persistently

incite the Makkan Quraysh against Rasulullah . The Jews would often
persuade the Quraysh to ask Rasulullah  about certain topics like
Ashaab-e-Kahf, Ruh (soul), Zul-Qarnain, etc. When Rasulullah  migrated
to Madinah, this jealousy and defiance flared even further. In due course, they
came to grips with the fact that the days of their educational and academic
superiority had drawn to a close and the deviants from amongst them trailed their
predecessors in flouting the truth. They elected to adhere to the ways of the ‘people
of Saturday (Ashaab-e-Sabt)’ and the conduct of those who ‘assassinated the
Prophets’.
The pious and those of sound disposition from amongst the Rabbis and the
learned divulged the prophecies of the final messenger to their people and these
selected few embraced Islam. However, most of them preferred the route of
defiance. Jealousy and rebelliousness proved to be their downfall in this path of
righteousness.
In view of their jealousy and defiance and in order to contain their civil strife,
rebellion and depravity, Rasulullah  decided to draw up a written treaty
with them. The idea behind this treaty was to at least ensure that their opposition
and defiance does not intensify any further and so that the Muslims may be safe
from their strife and depravity. The Holy Qur-aan is replete with the evils and
rabble-rousing of the Jews. So in order to contain this problem and mischief from
swelling any further, Rasulullah  formed a treaty with the local Jews of
Madinah.
Five months after his migration to Madinah, Rasulullah  established
a written treaty with the Jews of Madinah in which he promised to allow them to
retain their Deen, wealth and assets subject to certain conditions. These will be
discussed shortly. A summary of this treaty follows:
َّ ‫الر ۡح ٰن‬
‫الرح ِۡي ِم‬
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
Treaty from Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet between the Muslims of the
Quraysh and Muslims of Madinah and between the Jews who wish to ally
themselves with the Muslims, that every affiliate of the treaty will, whilst retaining
his own faith, be bound by the following conditions:
1. Qisaas and the ancient system of blood money will be retained with justice
and integrity.
2. With fairness, each member will be obliged to pay the ransom of its own tribe.
In other words, if a prisoner (of war) is to be released by the payment of
ransom, the obligation of payment rests upon the tribe from which the
prisoner hails.
Chapter 10 203
3. All members will remain committed against tyranny, transgression, hostility

and civil strife. There will be no exceptions to this rule even if the offender is
the son (of one of the leaders).
4. No Muslim will be permitted to execute another Muslim in retaliation of the
murder of a disbeliever. Furthermore, no disbeliever will be assisted against a
Muslim.
5. A lowest ranking Muslim will enjoy the same right of offering sanctuary and
refuge as that of the highest-ranking Muslim.
6. The safety of Jews living under the Muslims will be the responsibility of the
Muslims. They will not be harassed or tyrannised and their enemies will not be
assisted against them.
7. A disbeliever will neither have the right against Muslims to offer asylum to the
lives and wealth of the Quraysh nor will he have the right to interfere between
the Muslims and the Quraysh.
8. In times of war, the Jews will be obliged to support the Muslims with their
wealth and lives. They will not be permitted to assist the enemy against the
Muslims.
9. If an enemy of Rasulullah  attacks Madinah, the Jews will be duty-
bound to assist Rasulullah .
10. From the tribes who are affiliated to this treaty, none of them will have the
right to withdraw from the obligations of this treaty without the permission of
Rasulullah .
11. Assistance or asylum to a trouble monger will not be permitted. (He who
assists or offers asylum to a Bid‘ati attracts the wrath and curse of Allah. None
of his good actions will be accepted right until Qiyaamah.)
12. If the Muslims enter into a peace treaty with anyone, the Jews will also be
obliged to observe the conditions of this treaty.
13. He who murders a Muslim and there is evidence to support this, will be
executed in Qisaas except if the guardian agrees to accept blood money etc.
14. In cases of dispute or mutual disagreement, matters will be referred to Allah
and His Rasool .
The tribes with which Rasulullah  concluded this treaty included three
major tribes of the Jews who lived in and around Madinah. These three tribes were
Banu Qaynuqaa, Banu Nazeer and Banu Qurayzah. Since these three tribes
declined to comply with Rasulullah , he entered into this treaty with
them to stop the spreading of their evil and mischief. However, all three tribes, one
after the other, violated the terms of the treaty and took extensive part in their
hostility and conspiracy against the Muslims. They were thus punished for their
misdeeds as mentioned in the chapter dealing with military expeditions.
This treaty was endorsed before the injunction of jizyah (tax levied on non-
Muslims living under Muslim rule). Islam was still vulnerable and weak at that
moment in time. Initially, the ruling was that if the Jews join the Muslims in any
military expedition, they are to be given a percentage of the booty. This is why one
of the conditions of this treaty was that the Jews will be obliged to share the
burden of the expenditure incurred in these campaigns.
Miscellaneous Incidents of the First Year of Hijrah

1. After Rasulullah’s  arrival in Madinah, Kulsoom bin Hadam, in
whose house Rasulullah  lodged during his stay in Quba, passed
away.
2. Even before Rasulullah  could complete the construction of the
Masjid, As‘ad bin Zuraarah, the head of Banu Najjaar tribe passed away. Banu
Najjaar appeared before Rasulullah  and requested: “O Rasulullah
! Appoint someone as his successor.” Rasulullah  replied:
“You are my maternal kinsfolk. I am from amongst you and I am your head.”
3. Rasulullah’s  acceptance of the post of head over the Banu Najjaar
tribe is enumerated as one of the merits of this tribe. This tribe considered this
a source of their pride.
4. In the same year, two chieftains of the disbelievers died; Waleed bin Mughirah
and ‘Aas bin Waa’il, the father of the conqueror of Egypt ‘Amr bin ‘Aas
.
5. In the same year, eight months after arriving in Madinah, Rasulullah
 consummated his marriage with Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  with
whom he had performed Nikah before Hijrah after the demise of Hadhrat
Khadijah .
6. At the time of her Nikah, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  was six years old and she
was nine when she went to live with Rasulullah . Some Ulama that
Rasulullah  consummated his marriage with her eighteen months
after Hijrah in the second year.
7. When the Muslims arrived in Madinah, the water of all the wells of Madinah
was salty. Only one well called ‘the well of Roomah’ gave sweet water. This
well belonged to a Jew who would not provide its water except at a price. The
poor Muslims were left in a fix. Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  purchased this well
and sold it to Rasulullah  in exchange for a fountain in Jannah. He
Chapter 10 205
donated it to the Muslim Ummah at large. Whoever wanted could avail

himself of its water.
Islam of Sarumah bin Abi Anas 
Sarumah bin Abi Anas Najjaari  was enthusiastic about Tauheed right from
the beginning. He abhorred disbelief. In fact, once he even aimed to embrace
Christianity but abandoned this idea (perhaps after witnessing the sceptical
ideologies of the Christians).
He was a great Aabid and Zaahid (devoted and abstinent). He lived a frugal
life of an ascetic. He never wore fine cloth. He was always dressed in rough course
clothing.
He built a special room exclusively for his devotions. Women in their menses
and people in the state of Janaabat (impurity) were not allowed entry into this
room. He would often declare: “I am worshipping the Lord of Ibraaheem.”
He was a celebrated poet of his era. His poetry was replete with words of
wisdom, advice and good counsel.
When Rasulullah  arrived in Madinah after his migration, Sarumah
was by then a rather aged man. He appeared before Rasulullah ,
embraced Islam and recited the following lines of poetry:
‫ثوى ف قريش بضع عـشة حجة يذكر لو يلق صديقا مواتيا‬

“He (Rasulullah ) resided for over ten years amongst the Quraysh offering
them advice and good counsel whilst expecting some friend and supporter to assist
him.
‫ويعرض ف اهل المواسم نفسه فلم يرمن يؤوي ولم يرداعيا‬

And he would present himself to the pilgrims during the season (of Haj) but he
failed to find anyone willing to offer him sanctuary or anyone to assist him in
inviting.
ّٰ
‫ دينه فاصبح مـسورا بطيبة راضيا‬4‫فلما اتانا اظهر ا‬
When he appeared before us, Allah awarded His Deen dominance and he was
overjoyed and content with Madinah.
ّٰ
‫ باديا‬4‫والق صديقا اطمأنت به الوى وكن ل عونا من ا‬
Coming here he found a friend and he felt consoled from the grief brought about by
separation from his birthplace. And his friend turned out to be a sincere companion
and supporter from Allah’s side.
‫يقص لا ما قال نوح لقومه وما قال موس اذا جاب المناديا‬
He (Rasulullah ) relates to us about that which Nuh  and Musa
 enlightened their people.
‫ يـش من الاس نائيا‬O‫ يـش من الاس واحدا قريبا و‬O ‫فاصبح‬

And coming here to Madinah, he has taken a sigh of relief; he does not fear
anything close nor distant.
ٓ
‫موال من جل مالا وانفسنا عند الوع والاسيا‬O‫بذلا ل ا‬
We have surrendered all our wealth to him whilst at times of war we sacrifice our
lives for him.
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ افضل هاديا‬4‫ شء غيه ونعلم ان ا‬O 4‫ونعلم ان ا‬
And we harbour firm conviction that there is nothing of substance save Allah and
we firmly believe that He is the best guide.
‫نعادي الي عدى من الاس كهم جيعا وان كن البيب مصافيا‬

We regard his enemy as our enemy even though he may be intently dear to us.”
Change of Qiblah direction – 2nd Year of Hijrah

As long as Rasulullah  lived in Makkah he continued performing Salaah
whilst facing Baitul-Muqaddas but in such a manner that he would face the K‘abah
as well. When he migrated to Madinah Munawwarah, he was unable to maintain
this practise of facing both Qiblahs simultaneously. This is why, on the divine
directive of Allah Ta’ala, he performed his Salaah whilst facing Baitul-Muqaddas
for about sixteen to seventeen months.
Even before Allah revealed the divine commandment of transforming the
direction of the Qiblah, He kindled the eagerness within Rasulullah’s 
heart to face the K‘abah whilst performing Salaah. Quite frequently, Rasulullah
 would raise his gaze to the skies in anticipation of the divine
commandment directing him to turn towards the K‘abah for Salaah.
Subsequently, on the fifteenth of Sh‘abaan 2 A.H., the following verse was
revealed:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ‫ﻓﻮل و‬
M ‫ﻚ ﺷﻄﺮ اﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ اﻟﺤﺮام‬ ‫ﺟ ﻬ‬

“And turn your face towards the direction of Masjidul-Haraam.”
Chapter 10 207
Suffah and As-haabus Suffah

Following the change of the Qiblah direction when the direction of Qiblah from
Masjid-e-Nabawi was changed to Baitullah, the walls of the former Qiblah and the
area immediately adjacent to it was left intact for the accommodation of the poor
and destitute who had no home or place to live. This place was popularly known as
Suffah.
A Suffah is actually a ledge or a covered veranda. The weak Muslims and
grateful destitute were not only patient over their poverty but they were more
content and grateful than the affluent and powerful rulers. When these poverty-
stricken souls would come to listen to the words of Allah and His Rasool
, they would stay behind at this spot. People would refer to this group as
As-haabus Suffah. It was as though this was the Khaanqah of Rasulullah
, the abstinent Prophet, who enthusiastically preferred poverty to the
dominion of the world.
The As-haabus Suffah were a group of people made up of ascetics and
Mutawakkileen whose principal objective day and night was their spiritual purity
and the acquisition of the knowledge of the Qur-aan and the wisdom of Rasulullah
. They were neither interested in trade nor was farming of any concern
to them.
These people had dedicated their sight to behold Rasulullah  and
their ears to listen to his sacred words and they had surrendered their physical
bodies to the companionship of Rasulullah .
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah  narrates: “I have observed seventy As-haabus
Suffah who did not even possess a single sheet to cover themselves. They merely
owned a sheet or a blanket to cover the lower portion of their bodies, which they
would fasten to their necks. Even these blankets were so short that they would
barely reach half their calves or their ankles and they would clasp it close to their
bodies lest their Satar become exposed.”
Waasilah bin Asq‘a  relates: “I was also one of the members of As-
haabus Suffah. None of us even had a complete set of clothing. Due to excessive
perspiration, our bodies were encrusted with grime and dust.” (This grime was
more cherished by them than extreme cleanliness. These were the dishevelled and
grubby personalities who, if they had to take an oath upon Allah Ta’ala, He would
ensure that their oaths are fulfilled.)
Mujaahid says that Abu Hurayrah  relates: “I swear by that Being
besides whom there is no other deity that quite often, overwhelmed with hunger, I
would lay my chest and stomach onto the ground (so that the moisture and
coolness of the ground may alleviate the heat of my hunger to some extent).
Occasionally I would fasten a stone to my stomach merely to keep my back
straight.
One day I seated myself at one of the main thoroughfares when Abu Bakr
 happened to pass by. I asked him to explain a certain verse of the Qur-aan to
me but my actual aim was that he might catch sight of my pitiful condition and
take me along for a meal. However, Abu Bakr  went away (without a notion
of my objective).
A little later Hadhrat ‘Umar  happened to pass by. In a like manner, on
the pretext of explaining a Qur-aanic verse to me I intercepted him. However he
too went on his way.
A little while later Abul-Qaasim  (whom Allah Ta’ala commissioned
as a Qaasim – distributor – of blessings) happened to pass by the same way.
The moment his gaze fell on me, he realised my intentions. Smiling at me, he
said: ‘O Abu Hirr!’
‘I am at your service’, I replied, ‘O Rasulullah !’
‘Come along with me’” he said.
I went along with him to his house. As he entered his home, he found a bowl
of milk there. When he enquired about it, his family replied: ‘So and so sent it as a
gift to you.’ Looking towards me, he bade me to call the As-haabus Suffah.”
Abu Hurayrah  relates: “The As-haabus Suffah were the guests of Islam.
They neither had a place to live nor were they in possession of any wealth.
Whenever any charity came to Rasulullah , he would send it over to
them without partaking of any part of it (because Sadaqah was Haraam for him).
Whenever he received a gift, he would partake of it and include the As-haabus
Suffah in it as well. Now when he asked me to call the As-haabus Suffah, I found it
a bit tough. I reflected to myself, how would this one bowl of milk suffice for all
the As-haabus Suffah? I am most eligible to drink this milk. At least I would be able
to regain some of my strength. Furthermore, after the arrival of the As-haabus
Suffah, I myself would be instructed to distribute the milk to them. I do not think
there would be any leftover for me, I thought. Nevertheless, there was no getting
away from compliance with Allah and His Rasool .
I called the As-haabus Suffah and as per Rasulullah’s  instructions, I
summoned them one by one. When all of them drank to their fill, Rasulullah
 smiled at me and said: ‘Only you and I are left now.’
I submitted: ‘That is correct, O Rasulullah !’ Rasulullah 
bade me to start drinking. As I was drinking, he repeatedly bade me to drink
saying: ‘Drink more! Drink more!’ until such time that I was utterly satiated and
cried out: ‘By that Being Who has sent you with the truth! I do not have room for
any more.’ Taking the bowl from my hand, Rasulullah  recited some
praise of Allah, said Bismillah and drank up whatever remained within the bowl.”
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Abi Bakr  relates: “The As-haabus Suffah were
extremely destitute. Rasulullah  would distribute them amongst the
Sahaabah  saying: “He who has food for two should take a third person with
Chapter 10 209
him and he who has food for three should take a fourth person with him,” and so
forth.
Muhammad bin Seereen  says: “Towards the evening, Rasulullah
 would distribute the As-haabus Suffah amongst his Sahaabah .
Some of them would take two whilst others would take three of them home with
them. S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  would sometimes take up to eighty people home
with him for meals.”
Abu Hurayrah  relates: “I was also from amongst the As-haabus-Suffah.
Every evening we would present ourselves before Rasulullah . He would
distribute us in ones or twos amongst the more affluent Sahaabah . He
would then take those who were left. After meals, we would all sleep in the Masjid.
A string was tied between two pillars of the Masjid. The Ansaar who had date
orchards would hang up a few clusters of dates for the exclusive consumption of
the As-haabus Suffah. They would strike the dates with a stick and eat as they fell
to the ground. Mu’aaz bin Jabal  was in charge of this.”
‘Awf bin Maalik Ashj‘ai  narrates: “Rasulullah  once emerged
(from his house into the Masjid) bearing a staff when his gaze fell onto a spoilt
cluster of dates suspended in the Masjid. He commented: “If the donor wished, he
could have brought a better bunch of dates.”
According to another Hadith, Rasulullah  instructed every date palm
owner to bring a bunch of dates and hang it up in the Masjid for the destitute.
Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah  narrates that Rasulullah  said:
‫ف ك عشة اقناء قنويوضع ف المسجد للمساكي‬

“From every ten clusters of dates, one cluster should be placed in the Masjid for the
destitute.”
‘Abdullah bin Shaqeeq  says: “I lived for a whole year in the company of Abu
Hurayrah . One day he commented: ‘If only you had witnessed our past days
when for days on end we did not even have that much food by which we could at
least straighten our backs. We would be forced to tie stones to our stomachs merely
to straighten our backs.’”
Fudaalah bin ‘Ubaid  narrates: “Quite often, overwhelmed with acute
hunger, the As-haabus Suffah would fall down unconscious whilst performing
Salaah. If a villager or Bedouin stranger had to lay eyes on them, he would reckon
them to have lost their senses or regard them as lunatics. Rasulullah 
would come to them and console them thus:
ّٰ
‫حببتم ان تزدادوا فقرا و حاجة‬O 4‫لو تعلمون مالك عندا‬
“If only you knew what awaits you by Allah, you would yearn for an increase in
this poverty and need.”
Attributes of As-haabus Suffah

‘Ayaad bin Ghanam  relates that he heard Rasulullah  saying: “The
best and high ranking people of my Ummah – as I was enlightened by the Malaul-
A‘alaa (close angels) – are those people who overtly smile whilst contemplating
over the infinite mercy of Allah Ta’ala but their hearts are sobbing in trepidation of
the severity of His divine chastisement. Morning and evening they remember Allah
in His uncontaminated houses (i.e. the Masaajid). With their tongues brimming
with hope mingled with fear, they call unto Allah Ta’ala and their hearts are
replete with a passionate longing to meet Him. Their burden unto others is
extremely light whilst their own burdens unto themselves are enormously heavy.
They walk on the ground with humility and tranquillity and not with arrogance
and pride. They walk like ants. In other words, humility and neediness is exuded
from their gaits.
They recite the Holy Qur-aan. They are dressed in old frayed clothing. They
are always in the divine care and protection of Allah Ta’ala. Their souls are in this
world whilst their hearts are attached to the hereafter. They have no concern but of
the hereafter. They are perpetually engaged in preparation for the grave and the
hereafter.”
Thereafter Rasulullah  recited the following verse of the Holy Qur-
aan:
َ َ ۡ ََ َ َ ۡ َ َ ٰ
‫ام َوخاف َوع ِۡيد‬
ِ ‫ذل ِك ل ِمن خاف مق‬
“This (promise) is for that person who fears standing before Me and he fears My
warning.”
Names of As-haabus Suffah

The actual number of As-haabus Suffah continued fluctuating from time to time.
Aarif Seharwardi  writes in ‘Awaarif that the roll of the As-haabus Suffah
once reached four hundred.
Some of these illustrious souls are listed below:
1. Abu ‘Ubaidah ‘Aamir bin Jarrah 
2. ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir 
3. ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood 
4. Miqdaad bin ‘Amr 
Chapter 10 211
5. Khabbaab bin Aratt 

6. Bilal bin Rabah 
7. Suhaib bin Sinaan 
8. Zaid bin Khattaab , brother of ‘Umar 
9. Abu Marthad Kanaaz bin Husain ‘Adawi 
10. Abu Kabshah , emancipated slave of Rasulullah 
11. Safwaan bin Baydaa 
12. Abu ‘Abas bin Jabr 
13. Saalim , the emancipated slave of Huzaifah 
14. Mistah bin Asaasah 
15. ‘Ukaashah bin Mihsan 
16. Mas’ood bin Rab’i 
17. ‘Umair bin ‘Awf 
18. ‘Uwaim bin Saa’idah 
19. Abu Lubaabah 
20. Saalim bin ‘Umair 
21. Abu Bishr K‘ab bin ‘Amr 
22. Khubaib bin Siyaaf 
23. ‘Abdullah bin Unais 
24. Jundub bin Junaadah Abu Zarr Ghifaari 
25. ‘Utbah bin Mas’ood Huzali 
26. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar 
27. Salmaan Faarsi 
28. Huzaifah bin Yamaan 
29. Abud-Dardaa ‘Uwaymir bin ‘Aamir 
30. ‘Abdullah bin Zaid Juhani 
31. Hajaaj bin ‘Amr Aslami 
32. Abu Hurayrah Dawsi 

33. Sawbaan , emancipated slave of Rasulullah 
34. Mu’aaz bin Haaris 
35. Saaib bin Khallaad 
36. Saabit Wadi‘ah 
Fasting of Ramadhaan
In the same year, (2nd year) during the latter ten days of Sha‘baan, fasting during
the month of Ramadhaan was made obligatory. In this regard, the following verse
was revealed:
ۡ ‫ي اﻧۡﺰل ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ اﻟْﻘ ْﺮ ٰان ﻫ ًﺪي ﻟﻠﻨﺎس وﺑﻴ ٰﻨﺖ ﻣﻦ اﻟْﻬ ٰﺪي واﻟْﻔ ْﺮﻗﺎن ﻓﻤ‬
‫ﻦ ﺷﻬ ﺪ‬
ۤۡ
‫ﻀﺎن‬
\‫ا‬
ۡ
‫ﺷﻬﺮ رﻣ‬
ٍ

ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
MN‫اﻟﺸﻬﺮ ﻓﻠﻴﺼﻤ ﻪ‬ ‫ﻜ ﻢ‬ ‫ﻣﻨ‬

“The month of Ramadhaan, in which the Qur-aan was revealed – a source of
guidance for the people and clear proofs for guidance and criterion (to distinguish
between good and evil). And whosoever witnesses the month, he should observe the
fast.” [Surah Baqarah verse 185]
Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  and Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr
 narrates: “When Rasulullah  arrived in Madinah, he instructed us
to observe the fast of ‘Aashurah (10th of Muharram). When the fast of Ramadhaan
was prescribed, he said: “As far as the fast of ‘Aashurah is concerned, one is at
liberty to observe it or to abstain from it.”
Salamah bin Akw‘a  relates: “On the day of ‘Aashurah, Rasulullah
 instructed a man to publicly announce: ‘He who has not eaten as yet
should fast whilst he who has already eaten should also abstain from food and
drink like the fasting ones.’”
Sadaqatul-Fitr and Eid Salaah

Just two days before the termination of the month of Ramadhaan, the divine
commandment obligating Sadaqatul-Fitr and Salaatul-Eid was revealed. In this
regard the following verse was revealed:
Chapter 10 213
ٰ ْ ‫ۙ﴾ و ذﻛﺮ‬۱۴﴿ ‫ﻲ‬Xٰ ‫ﻦ ﺗﺰ‬ۡ ‫ﻗ ْﺪ اﻓْﻠﺢ ﻣ‬

﴾ؕ ۱۵﴿ ¤ ‫اﺳﻢ ر ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻓﺼ‬

“Successful is he who has spiritually cleansed himself and he has mentioned the
name of his Lord then performed the Salaah (of Eid). [Surah A‘laa]
‘Umar bin ‘Abdul-Aziz  interpret the verse thus: “Successful is he who has
disbursed his Sadaqatul-Fitr and performed the Salaatul-Eid.”
Salaatul-Adhaa and Qurbaani

In the same year, Qurbaani and the Salaah of Eidul-Adhaa was made obligatory.
The following verse was revealed in this regard:
ْ
﴾ؕ ۲﴿ ‫ﻚ و اﻧﺤ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻓﺼﻞ ﻟﺮﺑ‬

“So perform Salaah (of Eid) for your Lord and slaughter (perform Qurbaani).”
[Surah Al kausar verse 2]
Hasan Basri  says: “This verse makes reference to Salaatul-Adhaa (Eidul-
Adhaa Salaah) and to Qurbaani.”
Durood Shareef
Abu Zarr  narrates: “Conveying Salaah and Salaam (salutations) upon
Rasulullah  was also prescribed in this year, the second year of Hijrah.”
According to some scholars, this commandment was enjoined on the night of
Mi’raaj.
Zakaat on wealth
The ‘Ulama have differed as to exactly when the annual Zakaat was enjoined. Most
are of the opinion that it was prescribed after the Hijrah. Some say it was in the
first year whilst others maintain that it was in the second year of Hijrah after the
compulsion of the Saum of Ramadhaan. And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Chapter 11
Ghazawaat and Saraaya (Military Expeditions)
This chapter deals with the unique sacrifices of the Sahaabah  in the path of
Allah Ta‘ala and the execution of the rebellious villains in the various military
campaigns.
Only when the divine commandment of Jihaad was issued, did Rasulullah
 launch an offensive attack against the disbelievers and he despatched an
army to the various regions.
The battle in which Rasulullah  himself participated is referred to as
a Ghazwah in the technical terminology of the scholars whilst the expedition in
which he did not participate is referred to as Sariyyah.
Sariyyah of Hadhrat Hamzah 
The very first squad of thirty Muhaajireen was despatched by Rasulullah 

seven months after the Hijrah either in the month of Ramadhaan or in the month
of Rabi‘ul-Awwal of the second year, towards Siful-Bahr under the leadership of
Hadhrat Hamzah . This contingent was sent out to check on a trade caravan
of three hundred travellers returning from Syria under the commandership of Abu
Jahl. This was the first Sariyyah after Hijrah. This contingent was made up
exclusively of the Muhaajireen without any of the Ansaar. When Hadhrat Hamzah
 landed at Siful-Bahr and both parties drew their battle lines poised for
attack, Majdi bin ‘Amr Juhani mediated between the two rivals. Abu Jahl returned
to Makkah with his caravan and Hadhrat Hamzah  to Madinah.
215
Sariyyah of ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris 

Eight months after Hijrah, in the month of Shawwaal in the first year A.H.,
Rasulullah  despatched a contingent of sixty or eighty Muhaajireen
under the commandership of ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris  towards Rabigh. This
contingent consisted of no Ansaar.
When they reached Rabigh, they had a confrontation with two hundred
Qurayshi mounted cavalry. However, no actual battle took place. Only S‘ad bin Abi
Waqqaas  launched a single arrow against the enemy. This was recorded as
the first arrow to be let loose in the history of Islam.
The Qurayshi cavalry – according to conflicting narrations - was under the
commandership of Abu Sufyaan bin Harb, ‘Ikramah bin Abi Jahal or Mikraz bin
Hafs.
Miqdaad bin ‘Amr and ‘Utbah bin Ghazwaan, who had earlier embraced Islam
but as they were in the malicious clutches of the Quraysh, were unable to migrate,
also joined the Quraysh in this expedition with the intention of breaking away
from the Quraysh and joining the Muslims the moment an opportunity presented
itself. Accordingly, when the two hostile parties confronted one another, these two
slipped away from the ranks of the kuffaar and joined the Muslims.
Sariyyah of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas 
In the first year of Hijrah, in the month of Zul-Q‘adah, Rasulullah 

despatched an infantry unit comprising of twenty Muhaajireen under the
command of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  to Kharrar.
This infantry unit would hide during the day and travel at night. When they
landed at the valley of Kharrar, they learnt that the Qurayshi caravan (that they
were pursuing) had already left. This group then returned to Madinah.
Expedition of Abwa
This was the very first military campaign in which Rasulullah  actively
participated whilst the battle of Tabuk was his last.
In the beginning of the month of Safar, in the second year of Hijrah, taking
sixty Muhaajireen with him without any Ansaar, Rasulullah  set out for
Abwa to launch an offensive against a Qurayshi caravan and upon the Banu
Damrah tribe. He appointed S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  as his vicegerent in Madinah.
The battle flag in this expedition was held by Hadhrat Hamzah .
When Rasulullah  landed at Abwa, the Qurayshi caravan had
already departed. Concluding a truce with the chief of the Banu Damrah tribe,
Chapter 11 217
Makhshi bin ‘Amr, Rasulullah  returned to Madinah. Some of the

conditions of this truce were that the Banu Damrah would neither wage war
against the Muslims nor would they support the Muslims’ enemy in any way. They
would not betray the Muslims and in times of need, they are required to extend a
helping hand to the Muslims.
This expedition is also referred to as the battle or expedition of Wuddaan.
Abwa and Wuddaan are names of places barely six miles apart form one another.
In this expedition, within fifteen days, Rasulullah  returned to
Madinah Munawwarah without actually engaging in any physical combat.
The Battle of Bawaat

Through divine revelation Rasulullah  was informed of a trade caravan
of the Quraysh heading towards Makkah. Rasulullah  set out for Bawaat
with at least two hundred Mujaahideen in the month of Rabi‘ul-Awwal or Rabi‘us-
Saani 2 A.H. The purpose of this expedition was to launch an attack against this
trade caravan. Rasulullah  appointed ‘Usmaan bin Maz’oon , who
was amongst the first group of people to embrace Islam and also amongst the
emigrants to Abyssinia, as his governor in Madinah Munawwarah.
This trade caravan of the Quraysh comprised of two thousand five hundred
camels and one hundred tribesmen of the Quraysh under the leadership of
Umayyah bin Khalaf.
When Rasulullah  reached Bawaat, he discovered that the trade
caravan had somehow slipped away undetected. So without engaging in any
hostilities, Rasulullah  returned to Madinah Munawwarah.
Expedition of ‘Ushayrah
During Jumaadal-Ula, 2 A.H., Rasulullah , in the company of two
hundred Muhaajireen, set out for ‘Ushayrah to attack the Qurayshi caravan.
‘Ushayrah is close to Yamb‘u. He appointed Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdul-Asad 
as his vicegerent in Madinah.
Thirty camels were available for this expedition and the Sahaabah 
took turns riding them.
A number of days before Rasulullah  turned up at ‘Ushayrah, the
trade caravan that he was pursuing had already slipped away. Rasulullah
 then stayed on for the rest of the month of Jumaadal-Ula and a few days
of Jumaadas-Saaniyah. He then concluded a peace treaty with Bani Mudlij tribe
and without actually engaging in any form of combat, Rasulullah 
returned to Madinah Munawwarah.
This is what the peace treaty looked like:
ّٰ َّ ‫الر ۡح ٰن‬
‫ لن ضمرة‬4‫ هذا كتاب من ممد رسول ا‬، ‫الرح ِۡي ِم‬
ّٰ ْ
َّ ِ 4‫ا‬ ‫بِس ِم‬
ِ
O ‫بانهم آمنون < اموالهم وانفسهم وان لهم الص < من رماهم ان‬
ّٰ
‫ ما بل بر صوفة وان الب اذ دعهم لصه اجابوه‬4‫ياربوا ف دين ا‬
ّٰ
‫ وذمة رسول ولهم الص < من برواتق‬4‫عليهم بذلك ذمة ا‬
“Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem. This is an accord from Muhammad Rasulullah in
favour of Banu Damrah tribe. Their lives and property are protected and safe. They
will be assisted against whosoever attacks them provided Banu Damrah themselves
do not interfere with the Deen of Allah. This treaty will remain in force until Lake
Sufah dries up. (In other words, this treaty will remain perpetually intact.) When
the Rasool  beckons them to assist, they will be required to offer their
(unstinting) support. This is the pledge of Allah and His Rasool  over
them. The pious and Allah-conscious from amongst them will be aided and
supported.”
First Battle of Badr - Also referred to as the battle of Safwaan or

the minor battle of Badr
Barely ten days had passed after Rasulullah’s  return to Madinah from
the battle of ‘Ushayrah when Kurz bin Jaabir Fahri launched a late night attack on
the pastures of Madinah and made off with a number of camels and goats.
The instance Rasulullah  received news about this offensive, he
immediately set out in pursuit of him towards Safwaan. This was a location close
to Badr. However, Kurz had already sneaked off even before Rasulullah 
landed at Safwaan. This is why he decided to return to Madinah.
Safwaan is a region close to Badr. Since Rasulullah  trailed him all
the way to Badr, this expedition is referred to as the first battle of Badr and it is
also referred to as the battle of Safwaan. Before setting out for this expedition,
Rasulullah  appointed Zaid bin Haarisah  as his deputy in Madinah
Munawwarah.
Kurz bin Jaabir  was one of the chieftains of the Quraysh tribe. He later
embraced Islam. Rasulullah  appointed him the Ameer of the unit that
was despatched to give chase to the ‘Uraniyyeen. He was martyred in the conquest
of Makkah.
Chapter 11 219
Sariyyah of ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh 
On his return from the expedition of Safwaan, Rasulullah  despatched

‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  towards a place called Nakhlah in the month of Rajab 2
A.H. Eleven Muhaajireen, who are listed hereunder, were also despatched with
him:
1. Abu Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah 
2. ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan 
3. ‘Utbah bin Ghazwaan 
4. S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas 
5. ‘Aamir bin Rabi’ah 
6. Waaqid bin ‘Abdullah 
7. Khaalid bin Bukair 
8. Suhail bin Baydaa 
9. ‘Aamir bin Iyaas 
10. Miqdaad bin ‘Amr 
11. Safwaan bin Baydaa 
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  narrates: “Rasulullah  planned to send us
out on a Sariyyah and revealed: ‘I will appoint such a man as an Ameer (leader)
over you who is the most tolerant over hunger and thirst.’ He then appointed
‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  as an Ameer over us.”
Jundub Bajali  relates: “As Rasulullah  was sending off
‘Abdullah bin Jahsh , he wrote out a letter and handing it over to him
instructed: ‘Do not open this letter until you are two days into your journey. Once
you are two days into your expedition, read this letter and act accordingly but do
not compel any of your companions to do so.’
Accordingly, two days into the journey, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  opened the
letter of Rasulullah  and found the following instructions written therein:
‘Continue on your journey until you land at a place called Nakhlah between
Makkah and Taaif and wait there for the Quraysh. Also continue to provide us
intelligence on their movements.’
On reading the contents of this letter, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  declared:
‘Sam‘an wa Taa‘atan – I submit and adhere to the instructions of Rasulullah
.’ He then notified his companions about the contents of the letter,
adding: ‘I am not compelling any of you to adhere to these instructions.

Whomsoever cherishes martyrdom may join me.’ Every single one of them
enthusiastically agreed to accompany him on this mission and they subsequently
set out for Nakhlah.
En route, S‘ad and ‘Utbah’s camel went astray (somewhere in the desert) and
whilst searching for the lost camel, both of them got left behind and they lost their
way. The remaining members of this unit proceeded to Nakhlah and stayed there
(for a few days).”
The first spoils of war in Islam

A Qurayshi trade caravan was returning from Syria to Makkah on the last day of
Rajab. Engagement in hostilities and combat was forbidden in this month.
However, mistakenly thinking that it was already the first of Sh‘abaan, the
Sahaabah  launched an attack on this trade caravan.
Waaqid bin ‘Abdullah  shot an arrow at the leader of this caravan ‘Amr
bin Al-Hadrami that proved instantaneously fatal. The moment the travellers of the
caravan learnt what happened to their leader, they anxiously fled in confusion and
despair. The Muslims then seized their goods and property. Also, ‘Usmaan bin
‘Abdullah and Hakam bin Kaysaan were captured as prisoners of war.
Up until that time, no divine instruction existed in regards to the distribution
of the war booty. Purely on the basis of his inference, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh 
divided the booty into five parts. Of that, he distributed four parts amongst the
Mujaahideen and the remaining one fifth he kept aside for Rasulullah .
When they returned to Madinah and apprised Rasulullah  of these
events, he remarked: “I did not instruct you to fight during the Haraam (sacred)
month. Be that as it may, keep the prisoners and the booty safely aside until a
divine commandment is revealed in this regard.”
Upon this reprimand, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  and his companions were
exceptionally grieved and dreadfully agitated, whilst on the other hand, the
disbelievers and the Jews set out alleging: “Muhammad and his companions have
made fighting in the sacred months permissible.” On this occasion, the following
verse was revealed:
ۢ ْ ۡ ۡ ٌ ‫ و‬MN‫ﲑ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﺎل ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ ﻛﺒ‬

ٌ ْ ْ ۡ
‫ﻛﻔ ٌﺮ ﺑ ٖﻪ‬ ‫ﺻ ﺪ ﻋﻦ ﺳﺒﻴﻞ اﷲ و‬ ‫ ﻗﻞ ﻗﺘ‬MN‫ﺎل ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ‬
ٍ ‫اﻟﺸﻬﺮ اﻟﺤﺮام ﻗﺘ‬ ‫ﻚ ﻋﻦ‬
ۡ ْ
‫ ﺴـﻠﻮﻧ‬

ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ و ﻻ ﻳﺰاﻟ ۡﻮن‬M ‫ ﻣﻨ ﻪ اﻛ ﱪ ﻋﻨ ﺪ اﷲ و اﻟ ﻔ ْﺘ ﻨ ﺔ اﻛ ﱪ ﻣﻦ اﻟ ﻘ ْﺘﻞ‬² ٖ ‫ و اﺧﺮاج اﻫ‬° ‫واﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ اﻟﺤﺮام‬

M ‫ﺎﻋ ۡﻮا‬ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ
ْ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﺣ« ﻳﺮدوﻛ ْﻢ ﻋﻦ دﻳﻨ‬ ٰ ‫ﻳﻘﺎﺗﻠ ۡﻮﻧ‬
‫ﻜﻢ ان اﺳ ﺘ ﻄ‬
“They ask you (O Muhammad!) about fighting in the sacred month. Say (to them),
undoubtedly fighting in this month is a great (sin) but forestalling people from the
Chapter 11 221
path of Allah, disbelief in Allah, preventing people from Masjidul-Haraam and

expelling the people of the Haram from the Haram, all these are far greater sins in
the sight of Allah. The fitnah (trial and misery of polytheism and disbelief) is far
worse than this fighting. These disbelievers will continue fighting you until they
turn you away from your religion if they have the ability.”
[Surah Baqarah verse 217]
In short, fighting in this sacred month either due to confusion or misunderstanding,
is no great deal. Yes, the fitnah of disbelief and polytheism and calculatedly
preventing the Muslims from entering Masjidul-Haraam is a colossal fitnah,
beyond which there is no greater transgression.
Subsequent to the revelation of this verse, Rasulullah  accepted his
one fifth of the booty whilst the remaining four fifths were distributed amongst the
Mujaahideen.
On hearing the details of this verse, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  and his
companions were cast into a sense of utter delight. Yearning for a reward, they felt
rather buoyant to ask Rasulullah  if they can expect any reward for this.
They enquired: “O Rasulullah ! Can we hope for any reward from this
expedition?” Upon this, the following verse was revealed:
ْ ‫ اوﻟ¶ﻚ ﻳ ْﺮﺟ ۡﻮن ر‬º ‫ﺟﻬﺪ ۡوا ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ‬

‫ واﷲ‬M ‫ﺣ ﻤﺖ اﷲ‬ ٰ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻫﺎﺟﺮ ۡوا و‬
‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣﻨ ۡﻮا و‬
‫ا ن‬

﴾۲۱۸﴿ ‫ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬
“Verily those who believed, and those who migrated and executed Jihaad in the path
of Allah, such people (may) entertain hope of the mercy of Allah, (and why not
when) Allah is all-forgiving, merciful.” [Surah Baqarah verse 218]
This was the very first war-booty in Islam and ‘Amr bin Hadrami was the first
disbeliever to be slain at the hands of the Muslims.
The Quraysh remitted a sum of money for the release of the two captives,
‘Usmaan bin ‘Abdullah and Hakam bin Kaysaan, held by the Muslims. When
presented with this demand, Rasulullah  said: “As long as my
companions, S‘ad and ‘Utbah, do not return, I will not release your captives. I dread
that you may kill them. If you kill my companions, I will also retaliate by executing
your people.”
A few days later, S‘ad and ‘Utbah returned safely. Rasulullah  then
accepted the ransom and released ‘Usmaan and Hakam. The instant he was
released, ‘Usmaan returned to Makkah where he died a disbeliever whilst Hakam
bin Kaysaan embraced Islam and stayed over at Madinah. He was martyred in the
expedition of Bir Ma’unah.
As an insight to the aforementioned incident, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh 
composed the following verses of poetry:
َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ً ۡ َ َ َۡ ًَۡ َ َ
‫َواعظ ُم مِن ُه ل ْو يَ َرى الرشد َراش ُِد‬ ‫ظِي َمة‬ ‫ ِف الر ِام ع‬K‫ت ُع ُّد ۡون قت‬
َ ُ ّٰ ‫َو ُك ۡف ٌر به‬
‫ َرا ٍء وشاه ُد‬4‫وا‬
َُ َ ُ ُ
‫صدودك ۡم ع َّما يقول م َّم ُد‬
“You view fighting within the sacred months as a great sin but worse than that, if
only an intelligent person would grasp, is your hindrance from what Muhammad
 is saying and your disbelief in him. Allah is an observer and witness.
‫ج ُد‬ َ ّٰ ِ ‫ يُرى ف ۡالَ ۡي‬Kَ ‫َك ۡي‬ َ َ ّٰ

‫ اهل ُه‬4‫َوا ِخراجكم من مسجد ا‬
ِ ‫ِ سا‬4ِ ‫ت‬ ِ
Your expulsion of the people of Allah Ta’ala from His Masjid so that not a single
person prostrating may be seen, is even worse than fighting in the sacred months.
َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ َّ َ
ٌ
‫وحاسد‬ ٍ ‫م‬K‫س‬O‫َوا ۡر َجف بِا‬
‫باغ‬ ‫ي ت ُم ۡونا بِقتلِه‬‫فانا وان ع‬
َ ََ ۡ َ ‫َس َق ۡي َنا مِن ابن الضمـي ر َم‬
‫الرب َواق ٌِد‬
َ ‫ب ِ َنخلة ل َّما او قد‬ ‫اح َنا‬ ِ ِ
ٌّ ُ ّٰ
‫ينازعه غل من القيد َعن ٌِد‬ ‫ عثمان بيننا‬4‫دما وابن عبدا‬
Over our action of fighting in this month, you may attempt to humiliate us as much
as you please and the jealous may spread as many rumours as they like, it would
not matter to us in the least. We quenched our spears with the blood of ‘Amr bin
Hadrami at Nakhlah when Waaqid bin ‘Abdullah stoked the flames of war.
‘Usmaan bin ‘Abdullah was a captive amongst us with chains and shackles
burdening him down to the ground.”
Chapter 12
Battle of Badr – 2 A.H.
This battle was the most decisive battle in the annals of Islam because this battle
was the forerunner to the honour and splendour of Islam and it marked the
beginning of the fall and humiliation of disbelief.
Through the divine mercy of Allah Ta’ala, without any form of external and
material resources, the Deen of Islam was fortified from the unseen whilst a
powerful blow was dealt to the skull of disbelief and polytheism. Perhaps no other
battle can be equated with the battle of Badr. This is why Allah Ta’ala refers to that
day as the day of Furqaan – the differentiating factor between truth and falsehood.
In fact it was also the month of Furqaan. It was the month of Ramadhaan in which,
by revealing the Qur-aan, Allah Ta’ala exposed the distinction between truth and
falsehood, between guidance and deviation.
Preamble to the Battle of Badr

During the early stages of the month of Ramadhaan, Rasulullah  learnt
that Abu Sufyaan was returning to Makkah with a trade caravan fully laden with
commercial merchandise and other goods.
Rasulullah  gathered the Sahaabah  and addressed them:
“This is a fully laden trade caravan of the Quraysh. Proceed towards this caravan. It
would not surprise me if Allah Ta’ala decides to award this caravan to you as ‘the
spoils of war’.”
Since they entertained not a hint of engaging in hostilities, they had set out
without any military preparations. Abu Sufyaan, who was also anxious of such an
interception, continued soliciting every traveller on his journey for some news
about Rasulullah  as he got closer to Hijaaz. On one of his enquiries, a
traveller enlightened him about Rasulullah  instructing his companions
223
to pursue his trade caravan. Without further ado, Abu Sufyaan paid Damdam
Ghifaari a sum of money and sent him off to the Quraysh of Makkah with the
message: “As quick as you can, protect your caravan and salvage your capital
because Muhammad and his companions have already departed to intercept this
caravan.”
This is the very same caravan against which Rasulullah  set out with
two hundred Muhaajireen in the expedition of ‘Ushayrah. Now the caravan was
returning from Syria. Since Rasulullah  merely intended to intercept the
caravan, in haste very few people were able to accompany him on this journey.
Since this journey was not undertaken with the intention of fighting and Jihaad,
those who failed to participate were neither rebuked nor criticised.
Departure
On the twelfth of Ramadhaan, Rasulullah  set out from Madinah
Munawwarah. Three hundred and thirteen Mujaahideen accompanied him on this
lofty expedition. They were so ill equipped for this expedition that the entire group
had just two horses and seventy camels. One horse belonged to Hadhrat Zubair bin
‘Awwaam  and the other to Hadhrat Miqdaad . Each camel was
allocated to a group of two or three people. Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood 
narrates: “In the expedition of Badr, just one camel was allocated to a group of
three people, which they would take turns in riding. Abu Lubaabah  and Ali
 were partnered with Rasulullah . When it was Rasulullah’s
 turn to walk, Abu Lubaabah  and Ali  would plead: “O
Rasulullah ! You continue riding, we will walk on your behalf.” To this
Rasulullah  would reply: “You are neither stronger than I am nor am I
more independent of the divine reward of walking than you are.”
When they reached Bir Abi ‘Inabah (approximately a mile out of Madinah),
Rasulullah  assembled all of them for a visual inspection. Youngsters,
who were eager to participate in this expedition, were sent back home from this
point. When he reached a place called Rawhaa, he appointed Abu Lubaabah bin
‘Abdul-Munzir as his deputy in Madinah and sent him on his way.
There were three battle flags in this army. One was held by Hadhrat Ali
, the second one was held by Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  and the third by an
Ansaari Sahaabi .
As they drew closer to a place called Safraa, Rasulullah  despatched
Basbas bin ‘Amr Juhani  and ‘Adi bin Abi Zaghbaa Juhani  as forward
scouts to spy on Abu Sufyaan’s trade caravan.
In the meantime, Damdam Ghifaari landed in Makkah with Abu Sufyaan’s
message warning the people of Makkah that their caravan was under imminent
Chapter 12 225
threat of attack. “Hurry”, he urged the people of Makkah, “run and save your
property.”
The moment this news reached the people of Makkah, the entire city was
thrown into a state of riotous uproar because not a single man, woman and child
remained in Makkah who did not inject capital into this trade caravan. Threatened
by the loss of their capital, the citizens of Makkah were gripped by a state of frantic
enthusiasm. A thousand fully equipped men were rapidly deployed and they
subsequently set out to engage this threat. Abu Jahal was the commander of this
force.
Fully laden with appliances of fun and amusement and accompanied by
singing women, drums, tambourines and other musical instruments, the Quraysh
puffed up with arrogance, emerged from Makkah with all their splendour and
glory, as Allah Ta’ala depicts:
‫اﻟﻨﺎس‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺎ\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﺧﺮ‬

‫ﻛ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫وﻻ ﺗ‬
‫ﺟﻮا ﻣﻦ دﻳ ﺎرﻫﻢ ﺑ ﻄ ًﺮا و رﺋﺂ ء‬
‫ﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬

“Do not resemble those who emerged from their homes conceitedly and flaunting
(their splendour) before people.” [Surah Anfaal verse 47]
Almost all the chieftains of the Quraysh participated in this campaign. Only Abu
Lahab, for some reason, was unable to join the expedition. He sent Abu Jahal's
brother, ‘Aas bin Hishaam in his place instead.
‘Aas bin Hishaam was in debt to Abu Lahab to the sum of four thousand
dirhams. Due to his poverty-stricken circumstances, he was unable to repay this
debt. Under pressure of this debt, he agreed to go to battle on behalf of Abu Lahab.
Similarly, Umayyah bin Khalaf declined to participate in Badr but with the
insistence and intimidation of Abu Jahal, he ultimately relented and joined them.
The background to his initial refusal to join the expedition is that S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz Ansaari  was a close friend to Umayyah bin Khalaf during the pre-
Islamic days of ignorance. When Umayyah would travel to Syria on business, he
would stay over in Madinah at S‘ad bin Mu’aaz’s  house and when S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  would come to Makkah, he would put up at Umayyah’s house.
On one occasion, after the Hijrah of Rasulullah , S‘ad bin Mu’aaz
 decided to perform Umrah. He came to Makkah and as was his previous
routine, he stayed over with Umayyah. As he settled down, S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
requested Umayyah to take him to the Haram for Tawaaf at a time when the
Haram was empty, in other words, when the Haram was relatively quiet and
uncrowded. Umayyah took S‘ad  to the Haram towards the early afternoon.
As he was busy in Tawaaf, Abu Jahal appeared before them demanding: “O Abu
Safwaan! (This was the title of Umayyah) Who is this person with you?” “This is
S‘ad ,” replied Umayyah. Abu Jahal snapped: “I see that this person is
performing his Tawaaf with such ease and comfort. Why do you provide assistance
and refuge to such irreligious people?” Addressing S‘ad bin Mu’aaz , Abu
Jahal warned: “O S‘ad ! I swear by Allah, that if Abu Safwaan (Umayyah)
was not with you, you would not have returned safely from here.” To this, S‘ad
 stridently retorted: “If you prevent me from performing Tawaaf, by Allah, I
will ensure that your access through Madinah to Syria is curtailed.”
Umayyah said to S‘ad : “Do not raise your voice before Abul-Hakam
(Abu Jahal). He is the chief of this valley.”
Furiously, S‘ad  shot back: “O Umayyah! Let it be. I heard Rasulullah
 predicting that you would be slain at the hands of his companions.”
Umayyah anxiously asked: “Will I be killed in Makkah?” S‘ad  replied: “I
have no idea of the exact location you will be put to death.”
On hearing this, Umayyah was thrown into overwhelming panic and
foreboding. He scuttled to his wife Umme Safwaan and narrated the incident to
her. According to another narration, Umayyah said: “By Allah! Muhammad never
speaks a lie.” He was so terrified of this forewarning that he almost wet his pants.
He was gripped with such fear that he resolved never to leave the boundaries
of Makkah. So when Abu Jahal bade the people to participate in the expedition of
Badr, he was awfully reluctant to go. He was terrified of losing his life in this
battle.
However, Abu Jahal insisted that he join the campaign. When Abu Jahal
noticed his reluctance, he pleaded with him: “You are one of the leaders. If you are
unwilling to join in this campaign, the masses will also follow suit and they too
would be reluctant to join us.”
Anyway, Abu Jahal persisted and continued pressurising Umayyah. He
ultimately persuaded him by pledging to him: “O Abu Safwaan! I will purchase a
graceful and fast horse especially for you. (The moment you feel threatened you
can mount it and return home.)” This finally swung his reluctance to strained
agreement. He then went home and requested his wife to make his preparations for
this journey. His wife pleaded with him: “O Abu Safwaan! Do you not recall the
forewarning of your Yathrabi (Madani) brother?” He replied: “Yes, I intend to travel
just a bit out of Makkah and return home.”
Anyway, Umayyah set out with this intention and wherever the caravan
halted, he would keep his camel close at hand but destiny did not allow him a
chance to escape. He somehow landed in Badr and was slain at the hands of the
Sahaabah .
In short, Umayyah was convinced of his impending doom but under pressure
from Abu Jahal, he grudgingly agreed to join them. Abu Jahal destroyed himself
and destroyed others as well. “They made their people dwell in the abode of
destruction; Hell, in which they will burn and what a dreadful abode it is.”
Chapter 12 227
Mashwarah with the Sahaabah  and their Staunchly

Devoted Discourses
As Rasulullah  left Rawhaa and reached Safraa, Basbas  and ‘Adi
 turned up with news that the Quraysh were on their way. Rasulullah
 assembled all the Muhaajireen and Ansaar for a consultation. Rasulullah
 alerted them about the departure of the well-equipped army of the
Quraysh. The moment Abu Bakr  heard this, he swiftly got to his feet and
gracefully expressed his devoted allegiance to Rasulullah . He
enthusiastically subscribed to the hints of Rasulullah  with all his heart
and soul and pushed himself to comply with the wishes of Rasulullah .
Thereafter, Umar  stood up and he too brilliantly expressed his enthusiasm to
sacrifice his life for this cause.
Selfless sermon of Miqdaad bin Aswad 
Thereafter, Miqdaad bin Aswad  got to his feet and submitted:

ّٰ ّٰ
‫ نقول كما قالت بنو‬O 4‫ )تعا¯( فنحن معك وا‬4‫امض لما امرك ا‬
‫ انا ههنا قاعدون ولكن‬K‫اسائيل لموس اذهب انت و ربك فقات‬
‫ انا معكما مقاتلون‬K‫اذهب انت و ربك فقات‬
“O Rasulullah ! Go ahead and accomplish what you have been divinely
instructed to do. We are with you all the way. By Allah! We will never be like the
Jews who told Musa : ‘You and your Lord go to engage the enemy whilst we
take a seat here.’ (We on the contrary pledge to you): ‘You and your lord go and
engage the enemy and we will fight side by side with you.’”
The narrator of this Hadith, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  relates: “(Upon
this pledge) I noticed Rasulullah’s  blessed countenance glowing in
delight.”
Rasulullah  made a special dua for the welfare of Hadhrat Miqdaad
.
Abu Ayyub Ansaari  narrates: “We were in Madinah when Rasulullah
 notified us about the trade caravan of Abu Sufyaan and company,
saying: ‘If you advance towards this caravan, it would not be surprising if Allah
Ta’ala awards you with the spoils of war.’ To this we commented: ‘Very well,’ and
we set out. One or two days into our journey, Rasulullah  informed us
about the departure of the Quraysh from Makkah. He also petitioned us to prepare
ourselves for imminent battle. Some of us were a bit hesitant (because they did not
leave home with the intention of engaging in hostilities). At that moment, Hadhrat
Miqdaad  got to his feet and conveyed his selfless commitment to Rasulullah
. If only all of us could express the same spirit of selflessness like
Miqdaad .”
On this occasion the Sahaabah  vowed:
‫ انا‬K‫ نقول كما قالت بنو اسائيل ولكن انطلقا انت وربك فقات‬O
‫معكما مقاتلون‬
“We will not say what the Jews said but go, you and your Lord and we will fight
alongside you.”
In spite of these adequate assurances, Rasulullah  once again, for a third
time, asked the Sahaabah :
َّ َ َ ‫اشيوا‬
‫< ايها الاس‬
“O people! What is your opinion? Give me your Mashwarah.”
The leader of the Ansaar S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  promptly understood what
Rasulullah , the most eloquent of the Arabs and non-Arabs, was trying to
say. He instantly submitted: “O Rasulullah ! Perhaps your speech is
directed to the Ansaar?” Rasulullah  replied in the affirmative.
The Valiant Speech of S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
Upon this, Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  passionately declared:

ّٰ
‫ قد امنا بك وصدقناك وشهدنا ان ما جئت به هو الق‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
‫واعطيناك < ذالك عهودا وموا ثيق < السمع والطاعة ولعلك يا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ غيه فامض لما شئت وصل‬4‫مر فاحدث ا‬O ‫ خرجت‬4‫رسول ا‬
‫حبال من شئت واقطع حبال من شئت وسالم من شئت و عد من‬
‫شئت وخذ من اموالا ما شئت واعطنا ما شئت وما أخذت منا كن‬
Chapter 12 229
‫مرك لئ‬O ‫احب النا مما تركت وما امرت به من امرنا فامرنا تبع‬
‫ست حت تات برك الغماد لنسين معك فوالي بعثك بالق لو‬
‫استعرضت بنا هذا الحر لضناه وما تلف منا رجل واحد وما‬
‫نكره ان نلق عدونا انا لصب عندالرب صدق عنداللقاء ولعل‬
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ يريك منا ما تقربه عينك فسبنا < بركة ا‬4‫ا‬
“O Rasulullah ! We affirmed our faith in you, we believe in you, we bear
testimony to the fact that whatever you came with is the truth and upon this we had
wholeheartedly pledged our absolute submission. O Rasulullah ! Perhaps
you emerged from Madinah with a specific purpose but Allah has brought about
something else. So proceed as you deem fit. You may maintain ties with whom you
wish and you may sever ties with whomsoever you wish. You may enter into a peace
agreement with whom you wish and you may engage in hostilities with whom you
wish. We are with you all the way. You may take from our wealth whatever you
please and you may bestow upon us whatever you please. Whatever you take from
our wealth would be dearer to us than what you would leave behind, and whatever
you charge us to do we will unquestionably abide by it. If you bid us to set off for
Barkul-Ghamaad with you, we will eagerly accompany you. I swear by the Being
Who has deputed you with the truth, if you direct us to leap into the ocean we
would eagerly hurl ourselves into it and not one of us would be left behind. We do
not detest confronting the enemy. Yes, during the heat of battle we are tolerant and
we are committed to meet the enemy head-on. We hope Allah Ta’ala will exhibit
something of ours that would bring about the coolness of your eyes. So, in the name
of Allah, take us along with you.”
Listening to these selfless words of sacrifice of these Sahaabah  brought
great joy to Rasulullah . He proclaimed: “Come on. Let us depart in the
name of Allah and many glad tidings for you. Allah Ta’ala had promised me that
He would grant me victory over one of the two parties; either the party of Abu
Jahal or the party of Abu Sufyaan.”
He revealed further: “I was also shown the location of where the disbelievers
will fall in defeat. I was shown that this is where so and so will fall slain and this is
where so and so will perish.”
ۡ ۡ ْ ‫و ا ْذ ﻳﻌﺪﻛﻢ اﷲ ا‬
‫ﻜ ْﻢ وﻳﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ‬ ‫ﺔ ﺗﻜ ۡﻮن ﻟ‬X‫ﻜ ْﻢ وﺗﻮ د ۡون ا ن ﻏﲑ ذات اﻟﺸ ْﻮ‬ ‫اﻟﻄﺂ ﻔ ﺘﲔ اﻧ ﻬﺎ ﻟ‬ ‫ﺣ ﺪي‬

ۡ ٰ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
﴾ۙ ۷﴿ ‫ﻜﻠﻤﺘ ٖﻪ وﻳﻘ ﻄﻊ داﺑﺮ اﻟﻜﻔﺮﻳﻦ‬ ٰ ‫ﺤ ﻖ ﺑ‬ ‫اﷲ ان ﻳﺤﻖ اﻟ‬

“And remember when Allah promised you one of the two parties (of the enemies i.e.
either the caravan or the enemy) that it would be yours and you wished that the
unarmed party (the caravan) be yours but Allah willed to justify the truth by His
words and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers.” [Surah Anfaal verse 7]
Dream of Aatikah bint ‘Abdul Muttalib

Whilst Rasulullah  was busy informing the Sahaabah  about the
revelation regarding the locations of the disbelievers dropping in defeat, there in
Makkah, even before Damdam Ghifaari could reach Makkah (forewarning the
disbelievers about the impending doom), Rasulullah’s  aunty (father’s
sister) Aatikah bint ‘Abdul-Muttalib saw a dream.
She dreamt that a person mounted on a camel appeared, made his camel sit in
the valley of Bathaa and yelled:
‫ث‬K‫انفروا يا آل غدر لمصارعكم ف ث‬

“O people of deception! Head off towards the locations in which you are doomed to
fall in defeat within three days.”
A number of people then gathered around this man. Holding onto his camel, this
man then proceeded to the Masjidul-Haraam where he delivered the same
proclamation. He then ascended the mountain of Abu Qubais from where he
hurled a gigantic boulder. As the boulder landed at the foot of the mountain it
shattered into smithereens and not a single house in Makkah was spared but a
smidgen of this rock filtered through it.
Aatikah narrated this dream to her brother ‘Abbaas adding: “Brother! By
Allah, I have seen such a dream that I dread a horrendous calamity is to befall your
people. Listen, I beg of you not to narrate this dream to anyone else.”
When ‘Abbaas left home, he narrated this dream to his friend Waleed bin
‘Utbah and stressed upon him not to relate this dream to anyone else but Waleed
related this dream word for word to his father ‘Utbah. In this manner, news of this
dream spread to the whole city of Makkah.
A few days later, when ‘Abbaas entered the Masjidul-Haraam, he caught sight
of Abu Jahal sitting in the company of a group of people. The moment Abu Jahal
noticed ‘Abbaas entering the Masjid, he sneered: “Abul-Fadl (‘Abbaas)! All along
your men were claiming prophethood. Now even your womenfolk are laying claim
to it!”
Chapter 12 231
“What do you mean?” asked ‘Abbaas. Upon this Abu Jahal referred to the
dream of Aatikah. Whilst these people were engaged in this conversation, Damdam
Ghifaari reached Makkah with Abu Sufyaan’s message of the impending
catastrophe. This messenger entered Makkah with torn clothing, with the nose of
his camel severed and bellowing at the top of his voice: “O people of Quraysh!
Salvage your caravan and with due haste, assist the caravan of Abu Sufyaan.”
The moment the Quraysh heard this message they rallied their equipment and
men and headed out of Makkah. They reached Badr where they witnessed a true
interpretation of this dream.
Dream of Juhaim bin Salat

In all their ceremonial glory, the Quraysh headed out of Makkah serenading to the
accompaniment of drums and musical instruments. When they reached a place
called Juhfah, Juhaim bin Salat saw a dream. He saw a person riding a horse and
this person also had a camel with him. This rider drew closer and pronounced:
“’Utbah bin Rab’iah is slain, Shaybah bin Rabi’ah is slain, Abul-Hakam (Abu Jahal)
is slain, Umayyah bin Khalaf is slain, so and so and so and so are also slain.” This
man then struck a spear into the camel and set it loose within the army. Not a
single tent in the army remained but blotches of blood spattered onto it.
When Abu Jahal heard of this dream, he was fuming with rage. He
sarcastically exclaimed: “This is the second prophet born in the Banu Muttalib.
Tomorrow when we confront the enemy then only will it be known which of us
has been slain.”
When Basbas  and ‘Adi , the two Sahaabah  whom
Rasulullah  sent to spy on Abu Sufyaan’s caravan, reached Badr, they
seated their camels at the foot of a hillock close to a water spring. In the interim,
they spied two women in the vicinity chatting with one another. When one of
them demanded payment of a debt from the other, the debtor replied: “Tomorrow
or the day after that, when the trade caravan returns from Syria, I will toil and
labour and pay you whatever is due to you.”
Mujaddaa bin ‘Amr Juhani, who was also near this water spring, was busy
listening to this intriguing exchange between these two women. When the indebted
woman pledged to repay her creditor what was due to her after doing some manual
labour for the trade caravan that was expected to arrive the next or the following
day, Mujadda commented: “It appears that she is speaking the truth.” Saying this,
he promptly withdrew himself from the area and sneaked away.
The instant Basbas  and ‘Adi  gathered this intelligence, they
mounted their camels and rapidly made tracks back to Rasulullah . They
appeared before him and apprised him of this incident.
After the departure of Basbas  and ‘Adi , Abu Sufyaan, who was
attempting to get some intelligence about the whereabouts and movements of
Rasulullah  also happened to come to this spring. He asked Mujjada bin

‘Amr: “Did you notice anyone coming or going in this area?” He replied: “Not
really. I only saw two men mounted on camels passing this way. They halted at the
foot of that hillock, rested and watered their camels and after filling their water
skins they moved off. Abu Sufyaan immediately went to the spot where he noticed
some animal droppings. He picked up one of the droppings and split it open. Upon
closer scrutiny, he noticed a seed embedded within it and he exclaimed: “By Allah!
This is a Yasrib (Madinah) date-seed.”
At once, he returned from this area and slightly altering the direction of the
caravan, he proceeded towards the coastal road via which he safely reached
Makkah undetected by the Muslims.
As he reached Makkah, he despatched a message to the Quraysh advising
them: “You primarily set out with the express purpose of safeguarding your
property, wealth and the lives of the travellers. Allah has saved your property and
lives. So why do you not return to Makkah?”
To this Abu Jahal responded: “Until and unless we do not proceed to Badr to
eat, drink and celebrate for three days, we will never return to Makkah.”
Akhnas bin Shariq, the chieftain of the Banu Zuhrah tribe counselled his
people: “O people of Banu Zuhrah! You originally set out to protect your
merchandise. So Allah Ta’ala has safeguarded your goods from ruin. Now there is
no need to fight. There is no need for us to hurl ourselves into pointless jeopardy as
this man (Abu Jahal) is beckoning us to do. So you might as well return home.”
On the counsel of their leader Akhnas bin Shariq, the entire Banu Zuhrah tribe
returned home. Not one of them participated in the battle of Badr. A number of
others also cautioned their people against fighting the enemy. They argued that
since the caravan had returned safe and sound, there was absolutely no need to go
into battle. However, Abu Jahal was adamant. He failed to listen to reason and he
determinedly set out for Badr.
By the time Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah  landed at Badr,
the disbelievers had already seized control of the water springs. They also promptly
took control of the better areas of Badr. On the contrary, the Muslims neither had
any water nor were any suitable areas available to them. Their area was made up
of rough terrain where it was a dreadful challenge to walk. Their feet would sink
into the ground.
Allah Ta’ala sent down rain. The soft yielding sand turned to hard ground and
the Muslims dug up a few small ponds for Ghusal and Wudhu purposes. In Surah
Anfaal, Allah Ta’ala describes this boon in the following manner:
ْ ‫ﺟﺰ اﻟﺸ ۡﻴ ٰﻄﻦ وﻟ‬

¤ٰ ‫ﲑﺑﻂ ﻋ‬ ْ ‫ ۡﻢ ﺑﻪ وﻳ ْﺬﻫﺐ ﻋ ۡﻨﻜ ْﻢ ر‬X‫وﻳﻨﺰل ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻤﺂء ﻣﺂ ًء ﻟﻴﻄﻬﺮ‬

ٖ
ْ ۡ
﴾ؕ ۱۱﴿ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ وﻳ ﺜ ﺒﺖ ﺑﻪ اﻻﻗ ﺪام‬ ‫ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑ‬

Chapter 12 233
“And He caused water to descend upon you from the sky so that He may purify you
with it and remove from you the filth (evil insinuations) of shaytaan and to
strengthen your hearts with it and make your feet firm thereby.”
[Surah Anfaal verse 11]
Although this water rained down to meet the needs of the Muslims, out of His
sheer mercy, Rasulullah , who was a personification of compassion,
keenly allowed his enemies also to drink from the water.
The same evening, Rasulullah  despatched Hadhrat Ali ,
Zubair bin ‘Awwaam , S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  and a few other
Sahaabah  to gather some intelligence about the Quraysh.
Coincidentally they chanced upon two slaves whom they apprehended and
returned to base camp with. Rasulullah  was engaged in Salaah whilst
they started interrogating them. The slaves whined: “We are merely water bearers
of the Quraysh. We simply came out to fetch some water for them.”
However, their statement failed to convince the Muslims and they started
beating them in the hope that, under pressure of further aggression, they will reveal
the whereabouts or conditions of Abu Sufyaan. They changed their statements
forthwith and whimpered: “Yes, yes! We are members of Abu Sufyaan’s caravan.”
The moment they said this, they left them alone.
When Rasulullah  completed his Salaah, he remarked: “When they
were speaking the truth, you beat them and when they were telling lies, you left
them alone. By Allah! These slaves belong to the Quraysh (and not to Abu
Sufyaan’s people).”
Rasulullah  then went about questioning the slaves personally. He
asked: “Where are the Quraysh?” “By Allah”, they replied: “they are at the foot of
Muqanqas mountain.” “What is the total number of people?” asked Rasulullah
.
They replied: “They are quite a few in number.”
“How many in number are they?” he asked. The slaves replied that they had
no idea what their numbers were. Rasulullah  asked: “Okay, tell me, how
many camels do they slaughter daily?” They replied: “One day nine and one day
ten.” To this Rasulullah  pointed out: “They are between nine hundred to
a thousand.”
After this, Rasulullah  asked them which of the Quraysh chieftains
were in attendance. They replied: “Utbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaybah bin Rabi’ah, Abul-
Bakhtari bin Hishaam, Hakeem bin Hizaam, Nawfal bin Khuwaylid, Haaris bin
‘Aamir, T‘amiyyah bin ‘Adi, Nadr bin Haaris, Zam‘ah bin Aswad, Abu Jahal bin
Hishaam, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Nubayh bin Hajaaj, Munabbih bin Hajaaj, Suhail
bin ‘Amr and ‘Amr bin ‘Abdud.”
When Rasulullah  heard of this ‘impressive lineup’ of the chieftains,

he turned to his companions and commented: “Today Makkah has consigned all
her treasured souls to you.”
In short, this was how Rasulullah  went about gaining information
from these slaves.
Preparation for War

The next morning Rasulullah  made preparation for the actual battle. As
per the advice of S‘ad bin Mu’aaz , a simple thatched hut was erected at the
peak of the hillock for Rasulullah .
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  submitted: “O Rasulullah ! May we erect a
thatched structure for you, in which you will be able to sit? We will have your
mounts ready for you whilst we go and engage the enemy. If Allah Ta’ala honours
us and bestows us with victory over the enemy, this is precisely what we aspire for.
On the contrary, Allah forbid, something else happens, you will still be able to
mount your conveyances and take off to join our other compatriots who have
stayed behind (in Madinah). O Rasulullah ! We are not dearer to you
than they are. If those people had only known that you are going to engage the
enemy in battle, they would never have remained behind. Perhaps Allah Ta’ala
would shield you through them, and they would have engaged in Jihaad with
absolute devotion and goodwill.” Rasulullah  commended S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  on his devoted enthusiasm and made dua for him. Thereafter a
simple thatched hut was erected for Rasulullah  in which he took shelter.
This structure was erected right on the summit of a hillock that afforded a bird’s-
eye-view of the entire battle ground.
Hadhrat Anas  narrates from Hadhrat ‘Umar  that on the eve of
the impending battle of Badr, Rasulullah  took us with him to the
battlefield so that we may see for ourselves the locations of those who would be
slain in battle. As we reached the battleground, he continued pointing out to us
with his blessed hand: “This is the spot so and so would collapse and this is the spot
so and so would fall, in the morning Insha Allah.” Gesturing with his hand, he
proceeded to reveal the exact location of where each person would be slain.”
Hadhrat Anas  says: “I swear by the Being Who has sent Rasulullah
 with the truth, not one of them had fallen beyond a hair’s breadth than
the location that was pointed out by Rasulullah .”
Thereafter, Rasulullah , in the company of his most dear companion
of the cave, the Siddeeq of the Muhaajireen, Hadhrat Abu Bakr , entered his
hut and offered two Rakaat of Salaah. Meanwhile, the Siddeeq of the Ansaar, S‘ad
bin Mu’aaz  stood guard at the door, wielding a sword.
Chapter 12 235
Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “On the night preceding the battle of Badr, there
was not a single one of us who did not fall off to sleep except Rasulullah .
He passed the entire night in Salaah and earnest dua right until the morning.”
At the onset of Fajr, Rasulullah  announced: “As-Salaah! O people!
The time for Salaah has arrived.” The instant the people heard this announcement,
they rapidly gathered for Salaah. Rasulullah  led them in Salaah whilst
standing at the base of a tree. After Salaah, Rasulullah  spurred the
Sahaabah  to engage the enemy with fearless valour and daring zeal.
Thereafter Rasulullah  straightened the files of the Mujaahideen for
battle whilst the ranks of the disbelievers had already been imposingly arrayed for
conflict. It was a Friday the seventeenth of the holy month of Ramadhaan. On one
side of the battlefield was the assembly of Haq whilst the other end of the
battlefield was blustering with the forces of Baatil (falsehood). Both parties
advanced towards the arena of Furqaan.
When Rasulullah  laid eyes on the well-equipped Qurayshi army
pressing ahead with all their swaggering glory, he submitted before Allah Ta’ala:
‫ئها وفخرها تادك وتكذب‬K‫اللهم هذه قريش قد اقبلت بي‬

‫رسولك اللهم فنصك الي وعدتن اللهم احنهم الغداة‬
“O Allah! Here are the Quraysh marching ahead in all their arrogance and pomp.
They have come to challenge You and falsify Your Messenger. O Allah! I beg of You
Your victory and assistance over them as promised by You. O Allah! Annihilate
them (these forces of Baatil).”
Thereafter, Rasulullah  arranged the ranks of the Muslims in proper
fighting formation. He held a small spear in his hand, which he used to straighten
the ranks of the fighters. As he was forming the rows, he caught sight of one
Sahaabi, Sawaad bin Ghaziyyah  sticking out of the line a bit. In a measure of
compassion, Rasulullah  nudged Sawaad on his stomach with this spear.
Amiably poking him in the stomach, Rasulullah  said: “O Sawaad! Get in
line.”
To this Sawaad submitted:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ بالق والعدل فاقدن‬4‫ او جعتن وقد بعثك ا‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
“O Rasulullah ! You hurt me whereas Allah Ta’ala sent you with truth
and justice. So allow me to take revenge against you.”
Rasulullah  gladly raised his upper garment and exposing his stomach,
said to him: “Go on, take your revenge.”
Sawaad  embraced his blessed stomach and pressed his lips to it.
Addressing Rasulullah , he then said: “O Rasulullah ! Perhaps
this is our final meeting.” This certainly brought unbridled delight to Rasulullah
 and he made dua for him.
Once Rasulullah  formed the lines of battle similar to that of the
ranks of the Malaaikah (angels), he went into his hut. Only Abu Bakr  went
along with him into his hut whilst S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  stood sentry at the door
wielding a sword in his hand.
As the Quraysh settled down, before engaging in actual combat, they decided
to send ‘Umair bin Wahab Jumahi to ascertain the numbers of the Muslims. After
casting a fleeting glimpse at the Muslims, mounted on his horse, ‘Umair returned
and reported: “The Muslims merely number about three hundred but give me a
chance and I will check if they have any backup forces lying in ambush for us.”
Once again he mounted his horse and rode far and wide checking for backup
forces. He returned to the Quraysh and said: “I’ve checked but I could not find any
backup force. However, O People of the Quraysh! I see these Madani camels
carrying red death (murder) on their backs. These people have no sanctuary or
support besides their own swords. By Allah! I foresee that as long as these people
do not kill their opponents, they themselves will not be killed. So even if from our
own ranks, an equal number of people are killed, what joy would the future hold
(with over three hundred of our people dead)? Deliberate over what I am saying
and let us decide on how to proceed further.”
To this, Hakeem bin Hizaam commented: “What you say is absolutely correct.”
Hakeem then went to ‘Utbah and said: “Abul-Waleed! You are one of the leaders of
the Quraysh. Would you not be pleased to hear your name being remembered with
goodness?”
‘Utbah asked: “What is the problem?” Hakeem said: “Take your people and
return (to Makkah) and take the responsibility of the blood money of ‘Amr bin
Hadrami onto your own shoulders.”
To this ‘Utbah promised: “I take full responsibility for the blood money of
‘Amr bin Hadrami but discuss the dilemma with Abu Jahal as well.”
Saying this, he got to his feet and delivered the following speech:
Battleground speech of ‘Utbah

“O people of Quraysh! I swear by Allah, you will get absolutely no benefit from
fighting with Muhammad () and his companions. These are all your
blood relatives. If you are adamant on engaging them in battle, then you will
counter members of your immediate family; your fathers, brothers, maternal and
paternal cousins. I exhort you to leave Muhammad and the Arabs to their own
devices. If the Arabs finish him off, then you have achieved your goal and if Allah
confers victory and dominance to him, then too this is an opportunity of honour for
Chapter 12 237
you because, after all, he is a member of your own clan. His supremacy is your
supremacy. Do not shun my advice and do not pronounce me a fool.”
Hakeem bin Hizaam relates: “I then proceeded to Abu Jahal, who, at that
moment, was busy donning his armour. I said: ’Utbah sent me with this message.’ I
then conveyed ‘Utbah’s message to him.
The moment he heard the message, he exploded with rage and huffed: ‘(This is
not the only reason ‘Utbah is shirking from war). ‘Utbah is also reluctant to engage
the Muslims because his son Abu Huzaifah is with the Muslims. No harm should
come to him. I swear by Allah! We will never retreat until Allah makes a decisive
decision between Muhammad and us.’
Abu Jahal then summoned ‘Amr bin Hadrami’s brother, Aamir bin Hadrami,
and said to him: ‘Your ally, ‘Utbah, wishes to take everyone back with him without
engaging the enemy whereas the blood of your brother is right before your eyes!’
On hearing this, Aamir wailed in sorrow: ‘O ‘Amr! ‘O ‘Amr! How dreadful!’ His
distressing wails of sorrow stirred their flagging spirits and once again, they were
incited to take on the Muslims.”
Inception of the war

Abu Jahal’s reproach at his people had such a profound impression that even
‘Utbah ardently donned his armour and geared himself for battle.
In fact, from the disbelievers, ‘Utbah, his brother Shaybah bin Rabi’ah and his
son Waleed were the first combatants to swagger out of the ranks of the
disbelievers and emerging onto the battlefield they mockingly growled for their
challengers to approach the field.
From the files of the Muslims, three contenders stepped forward; ‘Awf bin
Haaris, Mu‘awwiz bin Haaris and ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah.
“Who are you?” bellowed ‘Utbah.
They countered:
‫نصار‬O‫رهط من ا‬
“We are a group of the Ansaar.”
To this ‘Utbah replied: “We have no need to engage you. We wish to fight with our
own people.” Saying this, he shrieked:
َ ۡ َ
‫يا ممد اخرِج ا ِلنا اكفاء نا م ِۡن ق ۡوم َِنا‬
“O Muhammad! Why don’t you send us evenly-matched contenders from our own
tribe!”
Rasulullah  then bade the Ansaar to withdraw to their ranks and
petitioned Hadhrat Ali , Hadhrat Hamzah  and Hadhrat ‘Ubaidah bin
Haaris . He called each of them by name and exhorted them to stride out and
fight.
As per Rasulullah’s  directive, the three of them emerged from their
ranks. Since their faces were concealed by protective masks, ‘Utbah asked them to
identify themselves. “I am ‘Ubaidah,” said Hadhrat ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris .
Hadhrat Hamzah  rejoined: “I am Hamzah.” Hadhrat Ali  replied: “I am
‘Ali.”
‘Utbah reacted by exclaiming:
ٌ ‫اكفاء ك‬
‫ِرام‬ ٌ ‫نعم‬
“Yes! Now these are equally-matched noble combatants.”
Rasulullah  said:
ّٰ
‫ به نبيكم اذ جاؤا‬4‫قوموا يا بن هاشم بقكم الي بعث ا‬
ّٰ
4‫بباطلهم لطفؤا نور ا‬
“Rise O children of Haashim, with the truth with which Allah Ta’ala has sent your
Prophet. Stand against this falsehood with which they have appeared in order to
extinguish the light of Allah.”
Slaying of ‘Utbah, Shaybah and Waleed

Now the contestants confronted one another. ‘Ubaidah  clashed with ‘Utbah.
Hamzah  challenged Shaybah and Ali  was pitted against Waleed.
Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Hamzah  laid their foes to rest with a
single stroke of the sword. Meanwhile ‘Ubaidah  who was clanging swords
with ‘Utbah was seriously injured. Both combatants suffered injuries but continued
fighting. Eventually, ‘Utbah dealt such a severe blow with his sword that ‘Ubaidah
 sustained a serious injury to his leg. In the interim, Hadhrat Hamzah 
and Hadhrat Ali , dismissing their rivals, swiftly went to the aid of ‘Ubaidah
. They then promptly despatched ‘Utbah to his death. Thereafter, they carried
‘Ubaidah  and brought him to Rasulullah . He was bleeding
profusely from his shin area. ‘Ubaidah  expectantly asked: “O Rasulullah
! Am I a martyr?” When Rasulullah  replied in the affirmative,
‘Ubaidah  said: “If only Abu Taalib was alive he would have utterly been
convinced that indisputably, we are more deserving of his poem than he ever was:
Chapter 12 239
ٓ َۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ
‫ئِل‬K‫ونذهل عن ابنائِنا وال‬ ‫َون ۡسل ِۡم َح ّٰت نـ َصع َح ۡول‬
“We will surrender Muhammad to the enemy only when all of us around him are
slain and when we are absolutely oblivious of even our own wives and children.”
‘Ubaidah  then recited the following stanzas:
‫لا‬
ّٰ َ ً ۡ َ
َ ِ ‫ِ َع‬4‫ا‬ َ
‫ا ۡرج بِهِ عيشا مِن‬ ۡ ّ ِ ‫ان َي ۡق َط ُع ۡوا ر ۡجل فَا‬
‫ِن ُم ۡسلِم‬ ِ
َ
‫ف‬
ِ ِ
“If they (disbelievers) severed my leg, this is not a problem. In compensation of this
injury, I anticipate a far more superior life from Allah Ta’ala. (In other words,
although the severance of my leg foretells the end to my transitory life in this world,
I hope that in compensation I would get a far better life of eternal bliss.)
ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َۡ
‫م غ َّطي ال َم َساوِ َيا‬K‫س‬O‫ِلَاسا من ا‬ ِ‫الرح ٰ ُن م ِۡن فض ِل َم ّنِه‬ ‫َوالبَ َس ِن‬
And why not? Why should not I anticipate this? After all, Allah Ta’ala, out of His
infinite compassion has adorned me with the religion of Islam that has concealed all
my defects.”
Note: Initially, ‘Utbah and Shaybah were awfully reluctant to go into battle. Firstly,
because of Aatikah’s ominous dream and this was closely followed by the
foreboding dream of Juham bin Salat, these people were agonizingly terrified.
Secondly, on their departure from Makkah, ‘Addaas  (the slave of ‘Utbah and
Shaybah who had renounced Christianity and embraced Islam at the hands of
Rasulullah  on his return from Taaif) grasped his master’s feet and
pleaded:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ ا¯ مصار عكما‬O‫ وما تساقان ا‬4‫ انه رسول ا‬4‫باب وام انتما وا‬
“May my parents be sacrificed for both of you! Please! He is the Rasool of Allah
. You are not being driven except to your deaths.”
Saying this, he burst out crying.
When ‘Aas, the son of Shaybah noticed ‘Addaas weeping, he asked what made
him so upset. ‘Addaas replied: “I am weeping for both my masters who are about to
go into battle with the Prophet of Allah.” ‘Aas enquired: “Really? Is he really the
Prophet of Allah?” Trembling in fear, ‘Addaas replied:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ ا¯ الاس كفة‬4‫ انه رسول ا‬4‫اي وا‬
“Off course! He is unquestionably the Prophet of Allah to all peoples of the world.”
These solemn pleadings of ‘Addaas  and his startling revelation of their

impending doom had a profound effect on both ‘Utbah and Shaybah. This is why
both ‘Utbah and Shaybah didn’t want to take part in this battle. Only because of
Abu Jahal’s taunts did they march along. Time and time again, Abu Jahal would
scornfully taunt ‘Utbah and Shaybah with insulting comments of cowardice and
unmanliness. So, in order to put an end to such vulgar criticism and to inhibit
allegations of cowardice and effeminacy thrown at them, these two strode out into
battle.
Abu Usaid  narrates: “On the day of the battle of Badr, Rasulullah
 said: ‘Reserve your arrows for the moment the disbelieving mob rushes
upon you. Release your arrows only when they are close to you.’”
Rasulullah’s  Dua for Victory
Following the deaths of ‘Utbah and Shaybah, the rage of the battle kicked off in
earnest. Rasulullah  emerged from his hut and strategically laid out the
ranks of the Sahaabah  and then, in the company of Abu Bakr , he
returned to his hut. Wielding a sword, Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  stood sentry
at the door.
When Rasulullah  laid eyes on his companions’ negligible numbers
and their minimal equipment confronted by the vast and well-equipped legion of
the disbelievers, he got to his feet and performed two Rakaats of Salaah. He then
absorbed himself in dua. He implored Allah Ta’ala thus:
‫اللهم ان انشدك عهدك ووعدك اللهم ان شئت لم تعبد‬

“O Allah! I plead with you to honour Your word (of victory over the enemy). O
Allah! If You wish, You may not be worshipped (after this day).”
Rasulullah  was overcome with an extraordinary condition of humility
and submissiveness. Sometimes he would humbly bow down in Sajdah before
Allah Ta’ala and at times he would piteously spread his hands out in supplication
and beg Allah Ta’ala for His assistance and victory. He was so immersed in this
state of humility that his upper garment repeatedly fell off his shoulders.
Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “On the day of Badr, I engaged the enemy for a
little while and then I hurried to check on Rasulullah . I found him
prostrating before Allah Ta’ala piteously begging Allah Ta’ala repeatedly with the
words ‘Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyum!’ I returned and busied myself with fighting. I
went to check on him a second and then a third time but still found him prostrate.
However, when I went to check on him the fourth time, by then Allah Ta’ala had
favoured him with victory.”
Chapter 12 241
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says: “Hadhrat ‘Umar  related to me that on the day

of Badr, when Rasulullah  noticed the thousand-strong force of the
disbelievers of Makkah on one hand, confronted by his three hundred odd ill-
equipped companions on the other hand, he went into his hut, faced the Qiblah and
spread his hands out in supplication:
ّٰ َ ۡ َ َّ ّٰ َ
‫ن ۡزل َما وعدتن الله َّم ان تهلك هذه العصابة من اهل‬
ِ ‫اللهم ا‬
‫رض‬O‫ تعبد ف ا‬O ‫م‬K‫س‬O‫ا‬
“O Allah! Fulfil Your promise You had made to me. O Allah! If this small group of
Muslims is eliminated, You will never again be worshipped on the earth.”
In other words, Rasulullah  was the seal of all the Prophets and his
Ummah is the final Ummah. So if, Allah forbid, Rasulullah  and his
Ummah is wholly eliminated, not a single person will remain on this earth to
worship Allah Ta’ala. Furthermore, we learn from this that his dua of victory and
divine assistance was not only to safeguard the lives of the Muslims but also to
consistently maintain the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’ala on the earth. It should not be such
that the earth is entirely devoid of the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’ala.
For an incredibly long period of time, Rasulullah  continued making
this dua about Allah Ta’ala not being worshipped if this group of Muslims was
destroyed. He was so engrossed with this dua that his sheet fell of his blessed
shoulders. Abu Bakr  picked the sheet up and replaced it on his blessed
shoulders. Coming up from his rear, Abu Bakr  clasped Rasulullah’s
 hand and implored:
َ ّ َ ٰ َ َ ۡ َۡ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ َ
‫حسبك فقد الحت < رب ِك‬
“O Rasulullah ! This is enough for you. You have persistently implored
your Lord.”
Rasulullah’s  gaze was concentrated upon the grandeur, greatness and
absolute independence of Allah Ta’ala, as Allah Ta’ala declares:
ۡ ْ ٌ ‫ان اﷲ ﻟﻐ‬
﴾ ۶﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻤ‬‫ﻠ‬ ٰ ‫ ﻋﻦ اﻟ‬0
‫ﻌ‬

“Verily, Allah is independent of the worlds.”
Allah Ta’ala says in another verse:
ْ ۡ ْ ‫ ﴾ ا ۡن ﺸﺎ ۡ ﻳ ْﺬﻫ‬۱۵﴿ ‫ اﻟْﺤﻤ ۡﻴﺪ‬0‫واﷲ ﻫﻮ اﻟْﻐ‬

﴾۱۶ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺨﻠ ٍﻖ ﺟﺪﻳ ۡ ٍﺪ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ‬‫و‬ ْ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺒ‬

“And Allah is independent (free of all needs) and worthy of all praise. If He willed,
He could eliminate you and bring forth a new creation.”
This is why the tears of humility gushed forth from his blessed eyes. However,
judging from the fretful persistence and intense anguish of Rasulullah ,
Abu Bakr  was firmly convinced that Rasulullah’s  dua would be
accepted, as Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ ْ ٓۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ‫اﻣ‬
MN‫ﺧﻠ ﻔﺂء اﻻ ْرض‬

ْ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫اﻟﺴ‬
‫ﻒ‬
‫ﺸ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺎه‬‫ﻋ‬ ‫د‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻄ‬
‫ﻀ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻳ ﺠ ۡﻴﺐ اﻟ ﻤ‬

“Is He not better (than your false gods) who responds to the distressed one when he
calls unto Him and He removes evil and He makes you the inheritors of the earth
(generation after generation)?” [Surah Naml verse 62]
In short, Abu Bakr  was overwhelmed by a condition of hope whilst
Rasulullah  was overcome by a condition of fear.
Upon this, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ‫ا ْذ ¼ ْﺴﺘﻐ ۡﻴﺜ ۡﻮن رﺑﻜ ْﻢ ﻓ‬
‫ اﷲ ا ﻻ‬² ‫﴾ وﻣﺎ ﺟﻌ‬۹﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻜﺔ ﻣﺮدﻓ‬
¶‫ﻛ ۡﻢ ﺑﺎﻟ ٍﻒ ﻣﻦ اﻟ ﻤﻠ‬ ‫ ﻣﻤ ﺪ‬6 ۡ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ا‬
‫ﺎﺳﺘﺠﺎب ﻟ‬

ٌ ۡ ٌ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
﴾Â۱۰﴿ ‫ ا ن اﷲ ﻋﺰﻳﺰ ﺣﻜﻴﻢ‬M ‫اﻟﻨﺼﺮ ا ﻻ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻨﺪ اﷲ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ وﻣﺎ‬ ‫ﺸ ٰﺮي وﻟﺘﻄ ﻤ ﻦ ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻗﻠﻮﺑ‬

“Remember the time when you sought the aid of your Lord and He responded to you
(saying): ‘I will assist you with a thousand angels one behind the other in
succession. Allah made this (divine assistance) only as glad tidings and so that your
hearts are comforted therewith. There is no assistance (of victory) except from
Allah. Verily Allah is the All-mighty, the All-wise.” [Surah Anfaal verses 9-10]
At the revelation of this verse, Rasulullah  emerged from his shelter with
the following verse on his tongue:
﴾۴۵﴿ ‫اﺑﺮ‬ ‫ن‬ ۡ ‫ﺳﻴ ۡﻬﺰم اﻟْﺠ ْﻤﻊ و ﻳﻮﻟ‬

‫ﻮ‬

“Their multitudes will be routed and they will turn their backs and flee.”
[Surah Qamar verse 45]
Whilst Rasulullah  was beseeching Allah Ta’ala in dua, he dozed off.
When he awakened, he addressed Abu Bakr  saying:
ّٰ
< ‫ هذا جبيل اخذ بعنان فرسه يقوده‬4‫ابش يا ابابكر اتاك نص ا‬
‫ثنا ياه الغبار‬
Chapter 12 243
“O Abu Bakr! Glad tidings to you. Allah’s aid has come. Here is Jibraa’eel 
clutching the reins of his horse and driving it along. It has dust on its teeth.”
Descent of the angels to assist the Muslims

Allah Ta’ala sent down a thousand angels, then three thousand and finally five
thousand angels to lend a hand to the Muslims.
Note: Since Iblees (shaytaan) and his cohorts were all set and primed to assist
the disbelievers in this battle, Allah Ta’ala sent down a group of angels under the
command of Jibraa’eel , Mikaa’eel  and Israafeel  to assist the
Muslims. Since shaytaan appeared in the disguise of Suraaqah bin Maalik and his
cohorts appeared in the form of the menfolk of the Banu Mudlij, the angels also
appeared in the form of normal men as mentioned.
The angels who descended from the skies came to assist. They were such
creations who ostensibly were human, but in reality were divine angels.
Abu Usaid Sa‘idi  (who was also a Badri Sahaabi) relates: “On the day of
the battle of Badr, the angels descended from the skies wearing yellow turbans. The
tail ends of their turbans were suspended between their shoulders. Zubair 
was himself wearing a yellow turban on the day of this battle.”
According to some narrations, the colour of the turbans of the angels was
black and according to other narrations, they had white turbans on their heads.
Rab‘i bin Anas  narrates: “On the day of Badr, those slain by humans
could easily be distinguished from those killed by the angels. Those slain by the
angels had dark fire-scars on their necks and fingertips.”
A Muslim would run behind a scuttling disbeliever when suddenly he heard
the crack of a whip accompanied by a voice: ‘Hayzum! Go on! Charge!’ The
moment he located the disbeliever, he found him lying flat on the ground. His face,
especially his nose, was bruised green with the lash of a whip.
When this Ansaari reported this incident to Rasulullah , he
commented: “You have spoken the truth. This is divine aid from the third heaven.”
On the day of Badr, Rasulullah  remarked:
ۢ ‫هذا جبئيل‬
‫آخذ براس فرسه عليه اداة الرب‬
“Here, this is Jibraa’eel  clutching the reins of his horse, adorned with the
weapons of war.”
Suhail bin Hunaif  narrates: “On the day of Badr, we observed that when
any of us would merely gesture towards the Mushrik and even before our swords
made contact with him, his head would be chopped off and fall to the ground.”
Sahl bin S‘ad  narrates: “Describing the battle of Badr, Abu Usaid 
addressed me saying: ‘O nephew! If you and I were on the battlefield of Badr, I
would have pointed out to you the valley from which the angels appeared to offer
us divine assistance. There is not an iota of doubt in this.’”
The attendance of the angels mounted on horses is also established from
authentic Ahaadith. According to some narrations, they were mounted on piebald
(spotted) horses.
Rasulullah  emerged from his shelter and after motivating them to
engage the enemy, declared: “I swear by the Being in whose absolute control lies
Muhammad’s life, today whosoever puts up a bold front and engages the enemy
with forbearance and sincerity and he is subsequently martyred, Allah Ta’ala will
certainly admit him into Jannah.”
Whilst Rasulullah  was making this declaration, ‘Umair bin
Hamaam  had a few dates in his hand, which he was busy eating. The
moment he heard these enthralling words, he bounded up in delight and exclaimed:
‫ء‬O‫ ان يقتلن هو‬O‫بخ بخ فما بين وبي ان ادخل النة ا‬

“Bakh! Bakh! (Hooray! Bravo!) The only intervention between me and my
admittance into Jannah is my martyrdom at these people’s hands.”
Saying this, he flung those dates aside and wielding a sword he hurled himself into
the thick of battle and fought valiantly until he was martyred. May Allah Ta’ala
shower His boundless mercy upon him. Aameen.
Also on this occasion, ‘Awf bin Haaris  asked Rasulullah :
ّٰ
‫ ما يضحك الرب من عبده‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
“O Rasulullah! Which action of the servant makes the Lord laugh (pleases Him)?”
Rasulullah  replied: “To confront the enemy without armour and to
colour his hands with the blood of the enemy.” The moment ‘Awf  heard
these words, he threw off his armour and clutching his sword, he went to fight the
enemy until he was martyred. May Allah Ta’ala shower him with His infinite
mercy. Aameen.
Abu Jahal’s dua and his Incitement of War

Subsequent to the slaying of ‘Utbah, Shaybah and Waleed, Abu Jahal encouraged
his troops to fight valiantly and in a frantic bid to spur them on, he addressed them
saying:
“O people! Do not be flustered over the deaths of ‘Utbah, Shaybah and
Waleed. They fell victim to the sword because of their imprudent haste. I swear by
Laat and ‘Uzza! We will never return until we truss them up in ropes.”
He then beseeched Allah Ta’ala with the following dua:
Chapter 12 245
“O Allah! He who is guilty amongst us of severing family ties and of

perpetrating strange actions, O Allah, destroy him, and amongst us, he who is most
dear and beloved to You, O Allah, grant him victory.”
Upon this Allah Ta’ala revealed the following Qur-aanic verse:
ْ ۡ
0‫ﻦ ﺗﻐ‬
ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ٌ ۡ ‫ا ۡن ¼ ْﺴﺘ ْﻔﺘﺤ ۡﻮا ﻓﻘ ْﺪ ﺟﺂءﻛﻢ اﻟْﻔ ْﺘﺢ و ا ۡن ﺗ ۡﻨﺘﻬ ۡﻮا ﻓﻬﻮ ﺧ‬
ْ ‫ﲑ ﻟ‬
‫ﻜﻢ و ان ﺗ ﻌﻮدوا ﻧ ﻌﺪ وﻟ‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ً ۡ ْ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻓﺌﺘ‬ ۡ
﴾Â۱۹﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
‫ﻊ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬ ‫ و ان اﷲ ﻣ‬º ‫ﻛ ﺜﺮت‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ﺷﻴﺌﺎ وﻟﻮ‬ ‫ﻋﻨ‬

“(O disbelievers!) You were seeking victory. So, here victory has come unto you. And
if you desist (from evil) it will be better for you. And if you return (to fight) so shall
We return and your forces will be of no avail to you however numerous they may
be. Verily Allah is with the believers.” [Surah Anfaal verse 19]
As Abu Jahal made his dua, Rasulullah  also raised his hands in
supplication before Allah Ta’ala and implored: “O Allah! If (Allah forbid) this group
of people is annihilated, you will never be worshipped again on the face of this
earth.”
Here on this side Abu Jahal was engaged in dua whilst on the other end
Rasulullah  was also engaged in imploring Allah Ta’ala. After this, both
parties started fighting in earnest. Rasulullah  emerged from his shelter
and exhorting the Sahaabah  to fight, he promised: “Whoever is slain in the
path of Allah, Allah will admit him into Jannah.”
On the direction of Jibraa’eel , Rasulullah  then picked up a
fistful of sand and hurled it towards the faces of the Mushrikeen. He then bade the
Muslims to launch an attack against them. Not a single Mushrik remained but a
particle of this sand penetrated his eyes, nose and mouth.
Only Allah Ta’ala knows what impact this sand had on the disbelievers. The
instant Rasulullah  hurled this fistful of sand at them they took flight. In
this regard, Allah Ta’ala revealed:
ْ
‫وﻣﺎ رﻣ ۡﻴﺖ اذ رﻣ ۡﻴﺖ وﻟٰﻜ ﻦ اﷲ ر ٰﻣﻲ‬

“And you did not throw (the sand) when you threw it but Allah threw it.”
In other words, although Rasulullah  himself tossed a fistful of sand
particles that got into the eyes and noses of the thousand-strong army, this was no
achievement on his part as such but this was a divine deed, a manifestation of the
omnipotence of Allah Ta’ala.
As the fighting intensified, Rasulullah  uttered thrice: “Shaa-hatil-
Wujooh (may the faces (of the enemy) become disfigured).” He then picked up a
handful of pebbles and hurled them towards the Quraysh and charged the
Sahaabah  to attack.
Barely a moment passed when the metaphorical dust of humiliation settled on
the faces of the enemies of Allah Ta’ala, then they started rubbing their eyes whilst
the Muslims opportunely unleashed a quick attack against the confused enemy.
Allah Ta’ala cast a peculiar attribute within this handful of sand that left each and
every one of them humbled and bewildered. In downright perplexity, they had no
idea where to turn.
Rasulullah  barely hurled the fistful of sand when the entire army of
disbelievers was left bewildered and thrown into turmoil. ‘Eminent’ heroes and
‘noble warriors’ were either getting captured or slain at the hands of the Muslims.
During this time Rasulullah  was in his shelter with Hadhrat S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  clutching a sword and standing sentry at the door, protecting
Rasulullah .
Whilst the Muslims were engaged in apprehending the disbelievers, Rasulullah
 noticed signs of disgust on the face of Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  as
though this revulsion was a tangible thing placed on his face. Rasulullah 
asked: “O S‘ad! Perhaps you resent the Quraysh being captured?” S‘ad 
submitted:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ تعا¯ باهل الشك‬4‫ كنت اول وقعة اوقعها ا‬4‫ يا رسول ا‬4‫اجل وا‬
‫ثان ف القتل احب ا¯ من استبقاء الرجال‬O‫فكن ا‬
“Yes, O Rasulullah ! By Allah! This is the first encounter in which Allah
Ta’ala has inflicted (such loss) against the disbelievers. Personally, I feel it is far
superior to put these disbelievers to the swords than allowing them to live.”
Where will those whose hearts are brimming with the Tauheed (oneness) of Allah
Ta’ala, ever be able to accommodate those who ascribe partners unto Allah Ta’ala?
Furthermore, divine disposition also demands that the sin of Shirk
(polytheism) be unpardonable, as Allah Ta’ala declares:
ْ
ْ‫ك ﺑﺎﷲ ﻓﻘﺪ اﻓ‬
‫ﱰي اﺛ ًﻤﺎ‬
ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ‫ان اﷲ ﻻ ﻳ ْﻐﻔﺮ ا ۡن ْﺸﺮك ﺑﻪ وﻳ ْﻐﻔﺮ ﻣﺎ د ۡون ٰذﻟﻚ ﻟﻤ‬
‫ﻦ ﺸﺂء وﻣﻦ ﺸﺮ‬
ٖ
﴾۴۸﴿ ‫ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬

“Verily Allah does not forgive polytheism and He forgives everything else apart
from that for whomsoever He wishes. And he who ascribes partners unto Allah, he
is guilty of a grave sin indeed.” [Surah Nisaa verse 48]
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates: “Rasulullah  had notified us beforehand,
‘Some people like the Banu Haashim and other tribes simply turned up on the
Chapter 12 247
battlefield under pressure from the Quraysh. They have not come on their own free
will. So they should not be harmed in any way. We have no need to kill them or to
fight with them.’ Rasulullah  also advised: ‘If any of you come across
Abul-Bakhtari bin Hishaam and ‘Abbaas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib during the course of
this campaign, do not kill any of them.’”
This is why the Sahaabah , instead of killing the enemy, were
predominantly predisposed to capturing them alive.
So when Mujazzar bin Ziyaan Ansaari  caught sight of Abul-Bakhtari on
the battlefield, he said: “Rasulullah  forbade us to put you to the sword.”
Abul-Bakhtari was accompanied by one of his Makkan friends by the name of
Junaadah bin Malihah. Abul-Bakhtari, when enlightened about this prohibition,
appealed: “My friend too should be spared.” Mujazzar  retorted: “Never! By
Allah! We will never spare the life of your friend. Rasulullah’s  amnesty
extends to you only. To this Abul-Bakhtari replied: “By Allah! It is ludicrous for me
to abandon my friend in this hour of need. Tomorrow the womenfolk of Makkah
would taunt me for deserting my friend merely to save my own life!”
Reciting the following stanza, he audaciously stepped out to fight:
َ َ َ َ
‫حت يموت او يرى َسبِ ۡيله‬ ‫ل ۡن ي ُ ۡسل َِم ا ِبن ُح ّر ٍة َزم ِۡيل ُه‬
“A noble man will never forsake his companion in need until he dies or he detects a
way out.”
No sooner had Abul-Bakhtari stepped foot into the combat area than Mujazzar
 finished him off with his sword. He then proceeded to Rasulullah 
and submitted:
‫ ان‬O‫والي بعثك بالق لقد جهدت ان يستاس فاتيك به فاب ا‬

‫يقاتلن فقاتلته فقتلته‬
“O Rasulullah ! I swear by the Being Who has sent you with the truth! I
certainly tried to capture Abul-Bakhtari alive and bring him before you but he
refused and elected to fight. So I killed him.”
Slaying of Umayyah bin Khalaf and his Son

Umayyah bin Khalaf was one of the most bitter enemies of Rasulullah .
He had already heard the warning of his assassination from the mouth of S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  in Makkah long before there was even a notion of the battle of Badr.
This is why he was dreadfully reluctant to take part in this campaign.
Abu Jahal incited the people to participate in this campaign saying: “Save your
trade caravan.” (The caravan of Abu Sufyaan.) However, Umayyah tried his utmost
to steer clear of this campaign. Abu Jahal continued persuading him saying: “Abu
Safwaan! You are the chief of this valley. If you attempt to avoid this campaign, the
masses are bound to follow suit and they too would try to find a way out.” Abu
Jahal persisted until Umayyah was forced to grudgingly agree. However, he added:
“I will purchase a very fine, daring and fast camel. I will join you, but the moment I
get a chance I will return.” He then went home to his wife Umme Safwaan and
asked her to make his travel arrangements. She asked: “Do you not recall the
menacing words of your Yasribi brother (where he forewarned you about being
assassinated at the hands of the companions of Muhammad)?” Umayyah replied:
“Yes, I remember very well but I do not really intend to actively participate in this
campaign. I will just tag along with them for a few leagues and I will return soon.”
However, he somehow accompanied them through every stage of the journey
until he reached the battlefield of Badr.
Umayyah was the same villain who subjected Hadhrat Bilal  to an array
of brutal punishments. He would make Bilal  lie on the scorching boulders of
Makkah. When Ummayah appeared on the battlefield of Badr and Hadhrat Bilal’s
 gaze fell on him, he yelled out a shriek of challenge to the Ansaar.
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf , who was a friend of Umayyah bin Khalaf
in times of pre-Islamic ignorance, did not want Ummayah killed. He preferred that
he rather be captured as a prisoner. (Perhaps, he reflected, Allah Ta’ala would
guide Umayyah somewhere along the line and save him from eternal hellfire.)
Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf , who was clutching a few coats of
armour that he had seized from the kuffaar, flung them aside and clasped the hands
of Umayyah and his son. When Bilal  got a glimpse of this, he shouted: “Seize
the head of the kaafir Umayyah! I am not safe if Umayyah is saved.”
The instant the Ansaar heard this rallying cry they darted over. Hadhrat
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  thrust Umayyah’s son in front of him and the
Ansaar summarily finished him off. They then raced to Umayyah who was being
shielded by Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf . When he saw them tearing
towards Umayyah, he quickly lied down over him as a human shield but the
Ansaar breached this human shield and driving their swords from his legs, they
killed him. In the clash, Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  sustained a
serious injury to his foot, the scar of which remained for a long time.
Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  used to remark: “May Allah Ta’ala
shower His mercy on Bilal . On this occasion I lost my coats of armour (that I
had seized from the enemy) and my captive too.”
Chapter 12 249
Slaying of Abu Jahal – Pharaoh of this Ummah

Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  narrates: “I was standing poised to
attack on the battle lines of Badr when suddenly I caught sight of two youngsters
to my left and right. I was a bit concerned (perhaps the enemy, spotting me
between two youngsters, would try to rush me). I was reflecting over this when one
of them came up to me and murmured: ‘Uncle! Would you point out Abu Jahal to
me?’
“What would you want to do with Abu Jahal?” I asked in amazement.
This young man replied: “I have made a vow unto Allah Ta’ala that when I lay
eyes on Abu Jahal I will surely kill him or I will be killed in the process. I heard
that he is guilty of verbally abusing Rasulullah . By Allah in Whose
absolute control lies my life! The moment I lay eyes on Abu Jahal, I will ensure that
my shadow does not break away from his shadow until one of us is killed.’
The moment I heard his zealous words, my expectation of being flanked by
two men instead of two youngsters, rapidly dwindled away.
When I pointed out Abu Jahal to this young man, he dashed over to him and
like a swooping raptor, he pounced on him and finished him off.”
These two youngsters were Mu’aaz and Mu‘awwiz, the sons of ‘Afraa.
Mu’aaz bin ‘Amr bin Jamooh  relates: “I was maintaining a vigilant
lookout for Abu Jahal. The moment I was presented with an opportunity, I pounced
on him with my sword and dealt him such a powerful blow that left his leg
severed.”
The narrator continues: “In defence of his father, Abu Jahal’s son ‘Ikramah
(who embraced Islam at the conquest of Makkah), struck Mu’aaz bin ‘Amr bin
Jamooh with such force that left his arm hanging by its tendons. However, this
handicap did not deter Mu’aaz and he continued fighting valiantly right until the
evening. When fighting with this dangling hand became excruciatingly painful, he
placed the hand beneath his foot and ripped off the hand completely. He lived until
the Caliphate of Hadhrat ‘Usmaan Ghani .”
After finishing off with Abu Jahal, Mu‘awwiz bin ‘Afraa, however, continued
fighting until he drank from the nectar of martyrdom. We belong to Allah and to
Him shall we return.
Searching for Abu Jahal’s Body after the Victory

Although Abu Jahal suffered extensive injuries, he still had some life left in him.
Hadhrat Anas  relates: “On the day of Badr, Rasulullah  bade the
Sahaabah : ‘Is there anyone who would provide some information about
Abu Jahal?’ ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  went in search of him amongst the
corpses. When he located him, he realised that he still had a bit of life in him.”
Ibn Mas’ood  planted his foot on Abu Jahal’s neck and remarked:
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ يا عدوا‬4‫اخزاك ا‬
“O enemy of Allah! Allah has humiliated and disgraced you.”
Saying this, he severed his head from his body. He then carried the head and
deposited it before Rasulullah  saying:
ّٰ
‫ اب جهل‬4‫هذا راس عدوا‬
“This is the head of Abu Jahal, the enemy of Allah.”
Rasulullah  asked, “Really? By Allah, besides Whom there is no other
deity! Is this really the head of Abu Jahal?”
He replied: “By Allah besides whom there is no other deity! This is really the
head of Abu Jahal.”
Rasulullah  expressed his profound gratitude before Allah Ta’ala
thrice and remarked:
ّٰ
‫م واهله‬K‫س‬O‫ الي اعز ا‬4 ‫المد‬
“All praise is due to Allah Who has honoured Islam and its people.”
Rasulullah  even prostrated in gratitude before Allah Ta’ala.
According to another narration, Rasulullah  performed two Rakaat
Salaah as an expression of his gratitude before Allah Ta’ala.
‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  relates: “I climbed onto Abu Jahal’s chest and
sat astride him. Abu Jahal opened his eyes and said: “O sheep herder! You have
parked yourself astride a very honourable place.”
I replied:
ّٰ
‫ الي مكنن من ذلك‬4 ‫المد‬
“All praise is due to Allah Who has awarded me the ability to do so.”
He then asked me: “Who triumphed and who lost?” I replied: “Allah and His Rasool
 have prevailed.”
“What is your intention now?” he asked. I replied: “I wish to behead you.” He
said: “Very well. Here, this is my sword. It is incredibly sharp. It would assist you
in fulfilling your objective rather swiftly. But listen, be sure to sever my head closer
to my shoulders as this would instil more awe within my onlookers. Furthermore,
when you return to Muhammad, give him this message that I cherish more
animosity and disgust for him today than I did yesterday.”
Ibn Mas’ood  further relates: “I then lopped his head off and brought it
to Rasulullah  saying: “O Rasulullah! This is the head of the enemy of
Chapter 12 251
Allah, Abu Jahal.” I then relayed his message to Rasulullah . Rasulullah

 glorified Allah and pronounced: “This man was the Pharaoh to me and
my Ummah. His evil by far overshadowed the evil of the Pharaoh of Musa .
At least the Pharaoh of Musa  attempted to recite the Kalimah at his death
but the Pharaoh of this Ummah snapped out words of arrogance and disbelief even
at the instant of his death.” Rasulullah  then awarded Abu Jahal’s sword
to ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood .
In other words, just as Rasulullah  surpassed all the Ambiyaa
 in virtue and perfection, similarly, his Ummah’s Pharaoh eclipsed all the
other Pharaohs in disbelief and immorality. Even at the time of death his eyes
failed to open and the throes of death did not nudge him in the least from his
disbelief and arrogance. In fact, his kufr (disbelief) and conceit mushroomed even
further at the time of his death. (May Allah Ta’ala protect us from this. Aameen.)
Note: Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that the night in which Rasulullah
 decided to visit the Jinn, he addressed them saying:
‫لقم مع من لم يكن ف قلبه مثقال ذرة من كب فقام ابن مسعود‬

ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم مع نفسه‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫فحمله رسول ا‬
“The person who does not harbour an iota of pride should stand and accompany
me.” Ibn Mas’ood  stood up. Rasulullah  took him along with him.
Perhaps it would not be farfetched to believe that ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood 
was given the honour to kill Abu Jahal for ‘Abdullah  was a unique servant
of Allah Ta’ala, whose heart was absolutely devoid of even an iota of pride. On the
contrary, Abu Jahal was en epitome of pride and arrogance who did not even have
a trace of humility within his heart.
This is why Allah Ta’ala decreed the killing of Abu Jahal at the hands of a
fortunate man who harboured not a grain of pride. May Allah Ta’ala be pleased
with ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  and may He please him too and may Allah
Ta’ala recompense him abundantly on behalf of Islam with a reward that pleases
him. Aameen.
Note: Abu Jahal’s actual title was Abul-Hakam (father of wisdom). Rasulullah
 changed his title to Abu Jahal. In other words, Rasulullah 
awarded him a title of ‘father of downright ignorance’. As long as this father
remained alive, every variety of ignorance was brought forth.
Whilst waging an intense battle against the enemy, ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan’s
 sword broke. Rasulullah  replaced it with a stick. The instant he
got hold of the stick, it miraculously transformed itself into a sharp sword. He
continued fighting valiantly with this sword until Allah Ta’ala awarded them
victory. The name of this sword was ‘Awn (assistance) and it accompanied him in
every subsequent battle.
In the battle of Badr, ‘Ubaidah bin Sa’eed bin ‘Aas - one of the disbelievers –
was entirely covered in body armour. Nothing but his eyes could be seen.
Undeterred by this, Hadhrat Zubair  aimed for this tiny chink in his armour.
He hurled a spear with such force and accuracy that it went all the way through his
head. He died instantaneously. Hadhrat Zubair  relates: “Only when I placed
my foot on his head and pulled with all my strength was the spear released but its
edges were slightly bent.”
As a memento, Rasulullah  asked Hadhrat Zubair  to give the
spear to him. After Rasulullah’s  demise, the spear went to Hadhrat Abu
Bakr  then to Hadhrat ‘Umar  then to Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  then to
Hadhrat Ali  and finally it came into the possession of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin
Zubair  (the son of the original owner).
In the battle of Badr, Hadhrat Zubair  sustained a number of wounds to
his body. One of the wounds to his shoulder was so deep that after it healed, his
young son ‘Urwah  in his childhood days would insert his fingers within the
folds of the healed skin and amuse himself.
Once ‘Abdul-Malik bin Marwaan asked ‘Urwah bin Zubair : “Do you
recognise the sword of Zubair (your father)?” He replied: “Yes, surely.” “How
would you recognise the sword?” asked ‘Abdul-Malik. ‘Urwah replied: “In the
battle of Badr, the sword developed serrations on its edges (due to the intensity of
the battle).”
To this ‘Abdul-Malik replied: “Yes, you are right.” To endorse this further, he
recited the following poem:
‫بهن فلول من قراع الكتائب‬

“They (the swords) sport serrations notched into them after confronting titanic
battalions.”
The Prisoners of Badr

Alhamdulillah, after a sweeping defeat of the disbelievers, the battle came to an
end. Seventy of the Quraysh were killed and seventy were taken as prisoners.
Rasulullah  directed that the bodies of the disbelievers be dumped into
the well of Badr. However, the corpse of Umayyah bin Khalaf was so badly bloated
that when they tried to remove his armour, his body started disintegrating. This is
why his remains were put into the ground there and then.
As ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah’s corpse was being cast into the well, Rasulullah
 noticed ‘Utbah’s son Abu Huzaifah , visibly distraught. Rasulullah
Chapter 12 253
 asked him: “O Abu Huzaifah! Looking at your father in this pitiful

condition perhaps causes your heart grave concern?” He replied: “O Rasulullah
! By Allah, I am not distressed by this but the only thing that really
concerns me is that my father was an intelligent, graceful and forbearing man. That
is why I had expected his intellect and perception to guide him towards Islam.
However, when I realised that he died with kufr (disbelief), I was awfully
disappointed.”
Rasulullah  then made dua in favour of Abu Huzaifah .
Disposing of the Corpses in the well of Badr

Anas bin Maalik  narrates from Abu Talhah  that on the day of Badr,
Rasulullah  instructed that twenty-four bodies of the slain Qurayshi
chieftains be disposed off in a dreadfully dirty, filthy and polluted well. All those
who were cast into the well were the leaders of the kuffaar. The remaining corpses
were dumped elsewhere.
Whenever Rasulullah  would secure victory over any nation, it was
his noble habit to spend an additional three days at that location. As was his noble
tradition, on the third day, Rasulullah  ordered his mount to be saddled
and he set out. The Sahaabah  followed guessing that Rasulullah 
was perhaps going for some important work. They followed until Rasulullah
 reached the edge of that well and he called out each occupant by name.
He called out: “O ‘Utbah! O Shaybah! O Umayyah! O Abu Jahal! You did not find
submission to Allah and His Rasool very appealing. Verily, whatever our Lord has
promised us; we found it to be true. Did you also find the promise of your Lord to
be true?”
Rasulullah  then addressed them saying:
“O dwellers of the pit! You were a dreadfully wretched tribe for your
Prophet. You falsified me whilst others believed in me. You banished me whilst
others offered sanctuary to me. You waged war against me whilst others assisted
me. You declared a trustworthy person as dishonest. You pronounced a truthful
person to be a liar. May Allah severely punish you.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  exclaimed: “O Rasulullah ! You are speaking
to lifeless corpses?” Rasulullah  replied: “Yes! I swear by Him in whose
absolute control lays my soul! You are not more perceptive of my words than they
are. The only difference is that they are unable to respond.”
In his description of this event, Hadhrat Hassaan bin Thaabit  mentions
in one of his lengthy poems:
‫قذفنا هم كباكب ف القليب‬ ‫ لما‬4‫يناديهم رسول ا‬

“When we pitched them into the well, Rasulullah  addressed them thus:
‫ ياخذ بالقلوب‬4‫وامر ا‬ ‫م كن حقا‬Ë ‫الم تدوا‬

‘Did you not find my words to be true? And Allah is the absolute controller of the
hearts.’
‫صدقت وكنت ذا رأي مصيب‬ ‫فما نطقوا ولو نطقوا لقالوا‬

But none of them uttered a word. Were they able to speak, they would have
responded: ‘You have spoken the truth and you have turned out to be a judicious
man.’”
Despatching a Messenger to Madinah with News of Victory

Thereafter, to share the glad tidings of victory with the others, Rasulullah
 despatched his messengers to Madinah Munawwarah. He sent ‘Abdullah
bin Rawaahah  towards the upper regions and Zaid bin Haarisah 
towards the lower regions of Madinah.
Usaamah bin Zaid  narrates: “The good news of victory reached us
whilst we were engaged in burying Hadhrat Ruqayyah , the daughter of
Rasulullah  and the wife of Hadhrat ‘Usmaan . Rasulullah
 left Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  to care for her in Madinah. This is why
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  was unable to participate in the battle of Badr. However,
since his absence from the battle was on the instruction of Rasulullah , he
was considered to have, in principle, attended the battle. I saw Zaid bin Haarisah
 standing on the Musallaa with the people encircling him from all sides.
Sharing the glad tidings of victory with the people, I heard him cheerfully saying:
“A number of the chieftains have been slain including ‘Utbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaybah
bin Rabi’ah, Abu Jahal bin Hishaam, Zam’ah bin Aswad, Abul-Bakhtari bin
Hishaam, Umayyah bin Khalaf, Nabihah bin Hajaaj and Munabbihah bin Hajaaj.”
I excitedly enquired: “Father! Is this really true?” He replied: “Yes, by Allah!
This is true.”
After despatching Zaid bin Haarisah  and ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah
 to Madinah, Rasulullah , in due course, set out for Madinah
Munawwarah. The pack of prisoners also tagged along with Rasulullah .
The spoils of war was consigned to the custody of ‘Abdullah bin K‘ab Ansaari
.
When Rasulullah  reached a place called Rawhaa, he was met by a
few Muslims who congratulated him and the Sahaabah  on this triumphant
Chapter 12 255
campaign. Upon this Salamah bin Salaamah  remarked: “Why do you

congratulate us? We confronted a few old hags resembling trussed-up camels. We
slaughtered them and dumped them.” (In other words, we did not accomplish any
great feat for which we deserve congratulations.)
On hearing this, Rasulullah  smiled and said: “These were, after all,
the chieftains and leaders of Makkah.”
Distribution of the booty

Following the conquest, Rasulullah  stayed over in Badr for a further
three days. Before setting out for Madinah, he consigned the war booty in the care
of Abdullah bin K‘ab Ansaari . When he reached a place called Safraa, he
went about dividing the booty. Rasulullah  barely started partitioning the
booty when the participants of Badr started squabbling about its distribution. The
younger Sahaabah  argued that since they had killed the enemy, they
deserved the booty more than anyone else. On the contrary, the elder Sahaabah
, who did not take much part in the actual fighting, maintained that they
should also be included in the booty. They said: “We won this battle because of our
backup and support. If, Allah forbid, you youngsters suffered defeat, you would
have fallen back onto our strength.” Yet again, another group who was guarding
Rasulullah  reckoned that they were the most eligible for this wealth.
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫ﺎل ﷲ و اﻟﺮﺳ ۡﻮل‬‫ ﻗﻞ اﻻﻧ ﻔ‬M ‫ﻚ ﻋﻦ اﻻﻧ ﻔﺎل‬ ‫ ۡﺴـﻠ ۡﻮﻧ‬

“They ask you (O Muhammad!) about the spoils of war. Inform them that the spoils
are for Allah and the Rasool.” [Surah Anfaal verse 1]
In other words, the spoils of war belong to Allah and His Rasool  is His
representative. He may dispense it as he deems appropriate. Once Rasulullah
 reached Safraa, he distributed this booty equally amongst the Sahaabah
.
Furthermore, an additional eight people who, with the consent of Rasulullah
, did not physically participate in this campaign were also allotted a
share from the booty. They are:
1. ‘Usmaan bin Affaan . Rasulullah  left him in Madinah to
attend to his ill wife Hadhrat Ruqayyah, the daughter of Rasulullah .
2. Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah .
3. Sa’eed bin Zaid . Both these Sahaabis were despatched from Madinah to
gather information about Abu Sufyaan’s trade caravan.
4. Abu Lubaabah . Rasulullah  left him in Madinah to attend to

the day-to-day administrative affairs.
5. ‘Aasim bin ‘Adi . Rasulullah  left him (as his representative) in
Aaliyah (upper regions of Madinah Munawwarah).
6. Haaris bin Haatib . For some reason Rasulullah  sent him back
to ‘Amr bin ‘Awf.
7. Haaris bin Al-Sammah . He was sent back because he was injured.
8. Khuwaat bin Jubair . He was sent back due to an injury to his calf.
Although these Sahaabah  did not actively participate in the battle of Badr,
Rasulullah  allotted them a standard share of the war booty and included
them from amongst the Sahaabah  of Badr.
Nadr bin Haaris was executed by Hadhrat Ali  whilst ‘Uqbah bin Abi
Mu’it was slain by ‘Aasim bin Saabit . With the remaining prisoners in tow,
Rasulullah  then set out to Madinah Munawwarah.
Note: Nadr bin Haaris and ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet were bitter enemies of
Rasulullah . They were blasphemous and foulmouthed. Either in speech
or action, they left no stone unturned in belittling, ridiculing and mocking
Rasulullah . This is why these two wretched souls were particularly
singled out from the other prisoners and condemned to death. This was the same
‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet who dumped a bucketful of camel intestines upon the
blessed back of Rasulullah  whilst he was in Sajdah. He also throttled
Rasulullah . This ill-fated person also spat on the blessed face of
Rasulullah . In short, a relentless torrent of abuse and ridicule against
Rasulullah  was what sustained him.
Hostile opposition and antagonistic confrontation against a Prophet of Allah
Ta’ala is a major sin and an obvious source of depravity. However, verbal abuse
against the reputation of a Prophet and mockery and contempt of his honour is a
far more serious crime than hostile opposition because this in effect, is tantamount
to denigrating the status of prophethood.
Halting at various points along the way, Rasulullah  eventually
reached Madinah Munawwarah with his war captives.
Distribution of the War Captives amongst the Muslims

As Rasulullah  reached Madinah Munawwarah, he distributed the
captives amongst the Muslims accompanied by the admonishment:
Chapter 12 257
‫سارى خيا‬O ‫استو صوابا‬

“Treat the captives favourably and kindly.”
As a result of this prophetic caution, the Sahaabah  who had captives in
their care would first feed their captives and then feed themselves if there was
anything left over, otherwise they would suffice simply on dates.
Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair’s  blood brother Abu Aziz bin ‘Umair was also one of
the prisoners of war. Abu Aziz recalls: “The family members of the Ansaari
household were such gracious people that whatever little bread they baked
morning and evening, they would feed it to me whilst they simply lived on dates. I
was certainly embarrassed by this and I would always insist that they eat the bread
but they would not yield to my appeals. They would say: ‘Rasulullah 
enjoined us to treat the captives well.’”
Consultation over the Captives of Badr

A few days after reaching Madinah Munawwarah, Rasulullah  held a
meeting with the Sahaabah  about the captives of Badr. Hadhrat Anas 
narrates: “Rasulullah  sought the opinion of the Sahaabah  over
the prisoners of Badr. At the outset, he addressed the Sahaabah  saying:
ۡ ُ َ َ َ ّٰ َّ
‫ ا ۡمك َنك ۡم مِن ُه ۡم‬4‫ا‬ ‫ا ِن‬
“Surely Allah has awarded you control over them.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  proposed: “O Rasulullah! I think that each one of them
should be put to the sword.”
However, the embodiment of mercy and the epitome of compassion,
Rasulullah  declined this proposal and once more he said:
ۡ ُ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ ّٰ َّ ُ َّ ُّ َ َ
‫مس‬O‫ ق ۡد ا ۡمك َنك ۡم َوا ِن َما ه ۡم ا ِخ َوانكم با‬4‫ا‬ ‫يا يها الاس ا ِن‬
“O People! Allah has awarded you control over these people. Yesterday they were
your brothers.”
Once again Hadhrat ‘Umar  made the same proposal only to be countered by
the same prophetic statement: “Allah has awarded you control over these people.
Yesterday they were your brothers.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  submitted: “O Rasulullah! My suggestion is that
these prisoners be released on payment of a ransom.” Ibn ‘Abbaas  relates
that Hadhrat ‘Umar  proposed: “O Rasulullah! Each of us should slay his
close relative. Instruct Ali to kill his brother ‘Aqeel and allow me to strike the neck
of so and so relative as these are the leaders of kufr.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  submitted: “O Rasulullah! These people are, after all,
members of your own family. I suggest that you release them on payment of
ransom. It would not be strange to imagine that perhaps Allah Ta’ala would guide
the same people towards Islam and then they would assist us against the
disbelievers.” Rasulullah  eagerly accepted this proposal.
‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  narrates: “On receiving the proposals put
forward by Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar , Rasulullah  remarked: “O
‘Umar! Your nature is similar to that of Hadhrat Nuh  and Hadhrat Musa
 who made dua against their people. And you O Abu Bakr! Your nature is
akin to that of Hadhrat Ibraaheem  and Hadhrat ‘Isa  who implored
Allah to pardon their people. Hadhrat Nuh  made the following dua:
ْ ‫﴾ اﻧﻚ ا ۡن ﺗﺬ‬۲۶﴿ ‫ﺎرا‬ ٰ ْ

ۡ ‫ﻜﻔﺮﻳ‬ ْ
‫ﻫ ْﻢ ﻳﻀ ﻠ ۡﻮا ﻋﺒﺎدك و ﻻ‬‫ر‬ ً ‫ﻳ‬ ‫د‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ض‬ ْ ‫اﻻ‬
‫ر‬ ¤ ‫ب ﻻ ﺗ ﺬ ْر ﻋ‬ ٌ
‫ﺎل ﻧﻮح ر‬
‫و ﻗ‬

ۤۡ
ً ‫ﻛ ﻔ‬
﴾ ۲۷﴿ ‫ﺎرا‬ ‫©وا ا ﻻ ﻓﺎﺟ ًﺮا‬ ‫ﻳ‬
“My Lord! Leave not a single person from the disbelievers dwelling on the earth. If
You leave them, they will lead Your servants astray and they will not give birth but
to immoral disbelievers.” [Surah Nuh verses 26-27]
and Musa  made the following dua:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ
ْ ْ ‫ ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑ‬¤ٰ ‫اﺷﺪ ْد ﻋ‬
﴾ ۸۸﴿ ‫ ﻓ ﻼ ﻳﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮا ﺣ ٰ « ﻳﺮوا اﻟﻌ ﺬاب اﻻﻟ ۡﻴﻢ‬$ ْ ْ ْ
‫ و‬$‫ اﻣ ﻮاﻟ‬¤‫رﺑ ﻨﺎ اﻃﻤﺲ ﻋ‬
“Our Lord! Destroy their wealth and seal their hearts so that they will not believe
until they see the painful torment.” [Surah Yunus verse 88]
Ibraaheem  made the following dua:
﴾۳۶﴿ ‫ﻚ ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻓﺎﻧ ٗﻪ ﻣ‬0

‫ وﻣ ْﻦ ﻋ‬N0 ۡ ۡ
‫ ﻓﺎﻧ‬6‫ﺼﺎ‬
‫ﻓ ﻤﻦ ﺗﺒ ﻌ‬
“So whomsoever follows me, he is of me and whomsoever disobeys me, You are most
forgiving, most merciful.” [Surah Ibraaheem verse 36]
and ‘Isa  made the following dua:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ‫ و ا ۡن ﺗ ْﻐﻔ ْﺮ ﻟ‬N‫ ﻋﺒﺎدك‬$ ْ ْ‫ا ۡن ﺗﻌﺬﺑ‬

﴾۱۱۸﴿ ‫ﻚ اﻧﺖ اﻟﻌﺰﻳ ۡﺰ اﻟﺤﻜ ۡﻴﻢ‬
‫ ﻓﺎﻧ‬$
ْ ‫ ﻓﺎﻧ‬$

“If You punish them, they are Your servants and if You pardon them, You are All-
mighty, All-wise (You can pardon any offender You wish and Your pardon is not
devoid of wisdom).” [Surah Maa’idah verse 118]
Chapter 12 259
Rasulullah’s  nature of ‘embodiment of mercy to mankind’ came to the

fore, thus agreeing with Abu Bakr . He then instructed them to release the
captives on payment of ransom.”
Whilst Rasulullah  was engaged in consulting with the Sahaabah
, divine revelation charged Rasulullah  to give the Sahaabah
 the option of execution or ransom. Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “Jibraa’eel
 appeared before Rasulullah  and said: ‘O Rasulullah! Give your
companions an option; either they execute their captives or they release them on
payment of ransom. However, the proviso for accepting a ransom is that the same
number of Sahaabah  will be killed the forthcoming year.’ The Sahaabah
 assented to the second option of accepting a ransom from the disbelievers
thus exposing themselves to martyrdom in the forthcoming year.”
Jibraa’eel  appeared before Rasulullah  and submitted: “O
Rasulullah! Your Lord has given you liberty with the captives of Badr.” When
Rasulullah  sought the counsel of the Sahaabah , they submitted:
“O Rasulullah! Today we are willing to set them free in lieu of a ransom so that we
may attain a degree of strength against them and in the forthcoming year, Allah
Ta’ala may confer martyrdom upon whomsoever He wishes.” The Sahaabah 
added:
“Perhaps in the forthcoming year, seventy of us will be admitted into Jannah.”
Divine Admonishment upon the Acceptance of Ransom

Nonetheless, Rasulullah  endorsed Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s  opinion
and instructed the Sahaabah  to accept a ransom and liberate the captives. A
number of senior Sahaabah  also suggested the ransom route on the thought
that these same captives would perhaps embrace Islam, thus boosting the cause of
Islam, and the ransom that they would collect now could be utilised for further
Jihaad expeditions and other Deeni activities. Amongst those who proposed taking
a ransom, the odds are that there were some Sahaabah  whose primary
objective was the accumulation of worldly wealth. This was spurred by their love
for this material world. Although this wealth was from Halaal sources – as part of
the war booty – such love attracted severe divine admonishment. The following
verse was revealed:
ْ ۡ ْ ٰ ْ ‫ۤ ا‬u
ٗ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻟﻨ ا ۡن ﻳﻜ ۡﻮن‬
‫اﻧﻴﺎ واﷲ ﻳﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫و‬ۡ ‫ ﺗﺮﻳ ۡﺪ‬MN‫اﻻ ْرض‬
‫ﰲ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﺨ‬ ‫ﺜ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ « ‫ﺣ‬ ‫ي‬ ٰ
‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺳ‬ ٍ

ٌ ‫ﺐ ﻣﻦ اﷲ ﺳﺒﻖ ﻟﻤﺴﻜ ْﻢ ﻓ ۡﻴﻤﺎ ۤ اﺧ ْﺬﺗ ْﻢ ﻋﺬ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ واﷲ ﻋﺰﻳ‬MN‫اﻻﺧﺮة‬ٰۡ
﴾۶۸﴿‫اب ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬
ٌ ‫﴾ ﻟ ْﻮﻻ ﻛ ٰﺘ‬۶۷﴿ ‫ﺰ ﺣﻜ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬

“It is not (appropriate) for a Prophet that he has captives (and sets them free with
ransom) until he causes a massacre in the earth (by killing the enemy). You desire
the goods of the world (the ransom) but Allah desires the hereafter. And Allah is all
prevailing, all wise. Were it not for a previous ordainment from Allah, you would
have been inflicted with a grave pusnihment due to what you had taken.”
[Surah Anfaal verse 67-68]
This reproachful censure is specifically directed to those whose focus was centred
on monetary gain and worldly benefit and thus proposed that ransom be taken in
lieu of the captives’ liberation. This is evident from the verse “you desire the goods
of the world”. As for those who proposed the taking of ransom for the benefit of
Deen and the hereafter, they are not, in reality, included in this admonishment.
Rasulullah  applauded the opinion of ransom simply on the grounds of
maintaining favourable family ties and on the grounds of compassion.
Furthermore, he wished to give the others an opportunity to get some financial
gain. This was motivated by his spirit of selfless generosity, which in itself is
commendable. Yes, what is deplorable is to have one’s personal financial gain in
mind. So this verse slams those whose primary objective was the acquisition of
worldly gain.
When Rasulullah  and Abu Bakr  learnt of this divine
admonishment, they burst out crying. Hadhrat ‘Umar  narrates: “When I
enquired as to what makes him weep so much, Rasulullah  replied:
< ‫ابكي للي عرض < اصحابك من اخذهم الفداء لقد عرض‬
‫عذابهم ادن من هذه الشجرة‬
‘I am weeping because of the divine punishment that was presented before me for
those of your companions who consented to accept ransom. Their divine punishment
was presented before me even closer than this tree in front of us.’”
Note: The punishment was not meted out but merely shown to him. The objective
was simply to caution them.
Rasulullah  then declared: “Had the punishment struck, none of us
except ‘Umar would have been saved.” Another Hadith says, “except S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz.”
Since S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  also proposed that the captives be killed, he was
also absolved with Hadhrat ‘Umar . Although ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah
was also opposed to taking ransom, he proposed that all the captives be thrown into
a fire but Shari‘ah disapproves of this as well. This is why his name was not
mentioned here.
The reason for this is that the primary aim of this campaign was to establish
the truth and obliterate falsehood as Allah Ta’ala says:
Chapter 12 261
ْ ْ ٰ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻞ اﻟ ﺒﺎﻃ‬
ْ
‫ﺤ ﻖ وﻳﺒﻄ‬ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻟﻴﺤ ﻖ اﻟ‬۷﴿ ‫ﻜﻠ ٰﻤﺘ ٖﻪ وﻳﻘ ﻄﻊ داﺑﺮ اﻟﻜﻔﺮﻳۡﻦ‬
‫وﻳﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ اﷲ ان ﻳﺤ ﻖ اﻟﺤ ﻖ ﺑ‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ
﴾ۚ ۸﴿ ‫ﺮه اﻟ ﻤﺠﺮﻣﻮن‬X ‫وﻟﻮ‬

“And Allah wishes to establish the truth with His words and to sever the roots of the
disbelievers. And that He may render the truth triumphant and frustrate falsehood
even though the sinners detest it.” [Surah Anfaal verses 7-8]
The Muslims, particularly in this battle, were divinely commanded to kill the
disbelievers.
This is further confirmed in this verse:
ْ
ْ ‫اﺿﺮﺑ ۡﻮا ﻣ ْﻨ‬ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ
﴾ؕ ۱۲﴿ ‫ﺎن‬‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻞ‬

ٍ ‫ﻛ‬ $ ‫و‬ ‫ﺎق‬‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻓﺎﺿﺮﺑﻮا ﻓﻮ ق اﻻ‬

“And strike them (the disbelievers) on the necks and smite all the fingertips.”
Another verse ordains:
ْ C ْ ۡ ْ ۤ ۡ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬
‫ ﻓﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻣ ﻨﺎ ﺑﻌ ﺪ‬Ä ‫ﺎق‬ ‫ﺸ ﺪوا اﻟﻮﺛ‬ ‫ﻫ ْﻢ ﻓ‬ ‫ﺨﻨﺘ ﻤ ۡﻮ‬ ‫ ﺣ « اذا اﺛ‬MN‫ﻀ ْﺮب اﻟﺮﻗﺎب‬ ‫ﻛ ﻔ ﺮوا ﻓ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻓﺎ ذا ﻟﻘ ۡﻴﺘﻢ‬

ْ ْ ٰ
NÅN‫ﻀﻊ اﻟﺤ ْﺮب او زار ﻫﺎ‬ ‫و ا ﻣﺎ ﻓ ﺪآ ًء ﺣ« ﺗ‬

“So when you meet the disbelievers (in Jihaad) smite their necks until when you
have shed their blood, then bind them securely (by taking them as prisoners).
Thereafter, there is a favour (by setting them free) or there is a ransom until the
war divests its burdens (arms)….” [Surah Muhammad verse 4]
Ransom Amount
As per the financial abilities of the captives, the ransom per captive was fixed at
anything from one thousand to four thousand dirhams. As for the poor captives
who were unable to afford anything, they were set free without the payment of any
tangible ransom whatsoever.
The literate amongst these indigent captives were charged to tutor ten children
each in reading and writing. Once they taught ten children each, they would be set
free. This was their ransom. Hadhrat Zaid bin Saabit  learnt to read and write
in this very manner.
Amongst the captives of Badr was Abu ‘Uzzah ‘Amr bin ‘Abdullah bin
‘Usmaan. He too could not afford to pay any ransom. He appeared before
Rasulullah  pleading: “O Rasulullah! You are well aware that I am a
destitute with a number of dependants. I beg you to be compassionate towards me.”
Rasulullah  showered him with his compassion and set him free without
demanding any ransom from him. However, Rasulullah  released him on

condition that he would not assist anyone against Rasulullah  and the
Muslims. Abu ’Uzzah consented to this condition. He even went as far as saying a
few laudatory couplets in honour of Rasulullah . However, he did not
embrace Islam and was killed in the state of kufr in the battle of Uhud. Similarly,
Muttalib bin Hantab and Sayfi bin Abi Rifa’ah were released without ransom.
Back in Makkah
When news of Quraysh’s humiliating defeat reached Makkah, the whole city was
thrown into a state of mystified panic. The first person to reach Makkah was
Haysamaan Khuzaa‘i. When the residents asked him about the news of the war, he
lamented: “’Utbah bin Rabi’ah has been killed, Shaybah bin Rabi’ah has been killed,
Abul-Hakam bin Hishaam (Abu Jahal) has been killed, Umayyah bin Khalaf has
been killed, Zam‘ah bin Aswad has been killed, Nabihah bin Hajaaj has been killed,
Munabbihah bin Hajaaj has been killed, so and so has been killed.” He then went
on to enumerate a few more chieftains who were killed in the battle.
Safwaan bin Umayyah, who was seated in the Hateem area listening to this
dismal report, remarked: “I cannot understand. Is this man perhaps gone mad! Why
do you people not put his sanity to the test and ask him where is Safwaan bin
Umayyah?” When asked, Haysamaan replied: “Here is Safwaan bin Umayyah
sitting here in the Hateem. With my own eyes, I saw his father and brother being
put to the sword.”
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates: “Abu Raaf‘i related to me that at this moment in
time, Islam had already filtered into the home of ‘Abbaas but we (his children)
would conceal our Islam.
When the Quraysh set off for the battle of Badr, daily we would wait in
anticipation of some news. When Haysamaan Khuzaa‘i brought news of the
Quraysh’s defeat in Badr, we were thrown into a state of unbridled ecstasy at
Rasulullah’s  victory.” ‘Abbaas  says: “At that moment, my wife,
Ummu Fadl, and I, were sitting beneath the Zam Zam canopy when Abu Lahab
happened to pass by.”
When the people noticed Abu Sufyaan bin Haaris approaching them, they
addressed Abu Lahab saying: “Here is Abu Sufyaan returning from Badr.”
Abu Lahab invited Abu Sufyaan to sit next to him and to enlighten him about
the battle of Badr. Abu Sufyaan replied:
ّٰ
‫ح منا‬K‫ ان لقينا القوم فمنحنا هم اكتافنا يضعون الس‬O‫ ما هو ا‬4‫وا‬
ّٰ
‫ مع ذلك ما لمت الاس‬4‫حيث شاؤا وياسوننا كيف شاؤا وايم ا‬
Chapter 12 263
ّٰ
‫ ما‬4‫رض وا‬O‫ بيضا بيض < خيل بلق بي السماء وا‬O‫لقينا رجا‬
‫ يقوم لها شء‬O‫تليق شيئا و‬
“By Allah! I know nothing except that we fought a people before whom we
submitted our shoulders. They were thrusting their weapons against us as they
wished and they rounded us up as captives as they wished. By Allah! I do not blame
our people (for surrendering before them) because we caught sight of white-robed
men mounted on piebald horses suspended between the sky and the earth. By Allah!
They would not leave anything and nothing remains intact before them.”
Abu Raaf‘i says:
ّٰ
‫ئكة‬K‫ تلك الم‬4‫قلت وا‬
“On hearing this strange occurrence, I commented: “By Allah! Incontestably, these
were angels.”
The moment Abu Lahab heard me make this comment, he flew into a towering
rage and landed a nasty smack to my face. He lifted me up and pitilessly hurled me
onto the ground. With the purpose of inflicting more pain on me, he came and
plopped himself right onto my chest. I was a weak bodied person.
Umme Fadl got up and clutching a wooden column in her hand, went up to
him and dealt him an injurious blow to his head. She then added: “His master
(Abbaas ) is not around. Is this why you regard him as so weak?”
Barely a week later, Abu Lahab was struck with plague-like eruptions on his
entire body and he died. The stench given off by his corpse was so disgusting that
nobody could approach it.
After three days, his sons, driven by a fear of public disgrace, got a hole dug
and with the aid of long poles, roughly shoved him into it.
It is related that whenever Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  would pass the spot
where Abu Lahab disgracefully died, she would cover her face with a cloth.
When Rasulullah  happened to pass the dwellings of Samood, he
covered his face with a cloth and bade his mount to move faster. He implied that
one should do so when passing through areas struck by divine punishment.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  was actually observing a Sunnah of Rasulullah
.
When the Quraysh confirmed the death of their kinsfolk, they fell into a state
of mourning. For a whole month, they bewailed the loss of their loved ones but
before long, an announcement was made advising the people not to engage in any
form of mourning because if Muhammad and his companions happen to hear of
their mourning, they will be thrilled with delight. Further, it was announced that
nobody should pay ransom in lieu of his or her captives lest Muhammad
() attempts to inflate the amount payable.
However, in spite of these announcements and warnings, Muttalib bin Abi
Widaa‘ah sneaked away from the Quraysh and one night, with a sum of four
thousand dirhams, he set out for Madinah. On reaching there, he paid the ransom,
secured the release of his father Abu Widaa‘ah and returned with him to Makkah.
Following his example, a procession of others followed suit and remitting their
ransoms; they released their captives one after the other.
Amongst these captives was also Suhail bin ‘Amr. He was exceptionally
shrewd and eloquent in speech. In the gatherings of (the disbelievers) he would
often lavish words of scorn and disrespect against the blessed person of Rasulullah
. Since Suhail was being held by the Muslims, Hadhrat ‘Umar 
inquired: “O Rasulullah! Allow me to draw out two of his lower teeth so that he
never wags his tongue against you in the future.” Rasulullah  replied:
“No, leave him alone. It would not surprise me if Allah shows you some source of
bliss through Suhail.”
Subsequently, the peace accord signed at Hudabiyyah, which Allah Ta’ala
transformed into an ‘obvious victory’, came about through his laborious efforts. He
embraced Islam at the conquest of Makkah.
According to Ibn Hishaam’s narration, Rasulullah  responded to
Hadhrat ‘Umar’s  request by saying: “I do not wish to disfigure him lest
Allah Ta’ala disfigures me, even though I may be a Prophet.”
Amongst the captives was also Abu Sufyaan’s son ‘Amr. When Abu Sufyaan
was asked to pay ransom for the release of his son, he replied: “How is it possible
that I pay ransom for one family member while another is slain? One of my sons,
Hanzalah, is already murdered. How am I expected to pay ransom for the release of
my other son ‘Amr? They may keep him captive as long as they wish.”
During this period, S‘ad bin N‘umaan Ansaari came to Makkah from Madinah
to perform Umrah. Abu Sufyaan detained him in place of his son. On the request of
the Ansaar, Rasulullah  surrendered ‘Amr bin Abu Sufyaan to his father
Abu Sufyaan and secured the release of S‘ad bin N‘umaan.
Abul ‘Aas bin Rabi’ 
Amongst the captives was also the son-in-law of Rasulullah , Abul ’Aas
bin Rabi’. Rasulullah’s  daughter Hadhrat Zainab  was married to
him.
Hadhrat Khadijah  was the aunt (mother’s sister) of Abul ’Aas bin Rabi’.
Hadhrat Khadijah  regarded him as her own son. With the approval of
Rasulullah , Hadhrat Khadijah  got Zainab  married to Abul
’Aas even before prophethood. Abul ’Aas was a rich, honest and distinguished
Chapter 12 265
trader. After prophethood, all the daughters of Rasulullah  embraced

Islam but Abul ’Aas remained committed to shirk (polytheism).
The Quraysh repeatedly badgered: “Why do you not divorce Muhammad’s
daughter, Zainab, just as Abu Lahab’s sons divorced his daughters? We will get
you married to a woman of your choice.” However, Abul ’Aas bluntly refused to do
so and declared: “In comparison to a noble woman as Zainab, I will never fancy
any other woman.”
When the Quraysh left for the campaign of Badr, Abul ’Aas also joined them.
Amongst others, he was also captured as a prisoner of war. When the inhabitants
of Makkah remitted their ransoms in lieu of the release of their respective captives,
Hadhrat Zainab  sent a necklace that was given to her as a wedding gift by
her mother Hadhrat Khadijah , to release her husband Abul ’Aas. The
moment his glance fell onto the necklace, Rasulullah’s  eyes welled up
with tears (in memory of Hadhrat Khadijah ). Rasulullah  advised
the Sahaabah : “If you consider it appropriate, return the necklace and
release the captive as well.”
They instantly lowered their heads in submission to this request. They
returned the necklace and set the captive free as well. However, Rasulullah
 obtained an assurance from Abul-’Aas that he will send Zainab to
Madinah the moment he gets back to Makkah.
When he arrived in Makkah, Abul ’Aas permitted her to leave for Madinah
and he sent his brother Kinaanah bin Rab‘i with her.
Towards the middle of the afternoon, Kinaanah seated Hadhrat Zaynab 
on a camel and clutching his bow and arrows, he set out.
Rasulullah’s  daughter flagrantly heading out of Makkah in this
manner was enormously upsetting to the Quraysh. Subsequently, Abu Sufyaan and
a few other chieftains turned up at the valley of Tuwaa and barring the camel from
going any further, they said: “We have no reason to prevent Muhammad’s
daughter, but for her to set out so brazenly is demeaning to us. Why do you not
return to Makkah now and leave in the darkness of night?” Kinaanah consented to
this proposal and returned to Makkah.
Before Abu Sufyaan, another person by the name of Habbaar bin Aswad (who
later embraced Islam) blocked the passage of the camel. He threatened her so
terrifyingly that she suffered a miscarriage. At his intimidating attitude, Kinaanah
got his bow and arrow out and warned them: “Any of you dare to come close to the
camel, I will leave his body looking like a sieve.”
Nonetheless, Kinaanah reached Makkah and after about two days he slipped
out of Makkah one night and proceeded towards Madinah.
Whilst he was leaving Makkah, in Madinah Rasulullah  instructed
Zaid bin Haarisah  and another Ansaari to proceed to a place called Batn-
Yaajuj and advised, “When Zainab  reaches this place, bring her along with
you.”
When these people reached Batn-Yaajuj, they met Kinaanah bin Rab‘i coming
from the opposite direction. Kinaanah returned to Makkah whilst Zaid bin
Haarisah  and his companion took Zainab  to Madinah. They reached
Madinah about a month after the battle of Badr.
Hadhrat Zainab  started living with Rasulullah  whilst Abul
’Aas continued living in Makkah. Before the conquest of Makkah, Abul ’Aas left on
a business trip to Syria. Since the people of Makkah were confident of his honesty
and reliability, they also invested capital into this trade expedition.
On his return from Syria, a unit of the Muslim army waylaid the caravan.
They seized all their merchandise from the caravan. However, Abul ’Aas managed
to sneak away and turned up in Madinah at the door of Zainab .
When Rasulullah  emerged for the Fajr Salaah, Hadhrat Zainab
 called out from the women’s hut: “O people! I have offered sanctuary to
Abul ’Aas bin Rabi’.”
Once he completed the Salaah, Rasulullah  turned to the people and
said:
‫ايها الاس هل سمعتم ما سمعت قالوا نعم قال اما والي نفس بيده‬
< ‫ما علمت بشء من ذلك حت سمعت ما سمعتم انه يي‬
‫المسلمي ادناهم‬
“O people! Did you hear what I heard?” “Yes,” they replied. “I swear by the Being in
whose absolute control lies Muhammad’s life! I had absolutely no idea about this
until I heard what you heard. Bear in mind that the lowest-ranking Muslim may
offer sanctuary to anyone he (or she) pleases.”
Saying this, he went up to his daughter and cautioned: “My dearest daughter! You
may honour him but do not allow him to be intimate with you because you are not
Halaal for him.” In other words, you are a Muslim whilst he is a disbeliever.
He then addressed the military unit saying: “You are aware of this man’s (Abul
’Aas’) relationship with me. If you feel that it is appropriate, you may return his
goods to him otherwise it is a gift from Allah and you are most eligible to receive
it.”
The moment they heard this request, they returned all his possessions.
Someone returned a bucket, another a rope whilst a third person brought a piece of
leather and so forth. In short, they surrendered every last bit of his goods back to
him.
Chapter 12 267
Abul ’Aas acquired all his confiscated goods and returned to Makkah where he
returned all the merchandise to their respective owners. Once he handed over their
goods, he addressed them saying:
O ‫حد منكم عندي مال ياخذه قالوا‬O ‫يا معش قريش هل بق‬
ّٰ
O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ خيا فقد وجدناك وفيا كريما قال فانا اشهد ان‬4‫فجزاك ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
O‫م عنده ا‬K‫س‬O‫ ما منعن من ا‬4‫ وان ممدا عبده و رسول وا‬4‫ا‬
ّٰ
‫ الكم و فرغت عنها اسلمت‬4‫توفا ان آك اموالكم فلما اداها ا‬
“O Quraysh! Is there anything outstanding in favour of anyone of you who has not
collected what is due to him?” “No,” they replied. “May Allah reward you
favourably. We have found you to be an honest and noble man of integrity.” He
then revealed: “I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and
Muhammad is His slave and messenger.” He added further: “By Allah! I did not
reveal my Islam until now lest people imagine I embraced Islam simply to usurp
your wealth. However, since Allah has now returned your wealth to you and I am
absolved of any liability over this, I have embraced Islam.”
Thereafter Abul ’Aas  left Makkah and when he returned to Madinah,
Rasulullah  reinstated Hadhrat Zainab  into his Nikah.
Abbaas bin Abdul Muttalib 
Amongst these captives was Rasulullah’s  uncle (father’s brother)

Hadhrat ‘Abbaas . He was captured by K‘ab bin ‘Amr Abul-Yusr .
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  was burly and powerful whilst Abul-Yusr  was
scrawny, weak and short in stature. Rasulullah  asked him: “O Abul-
Yusr! How did you manage capturing ‘Abbaas?” He replied: “O Rasulullah! Another
man whom I have neither seen before nor since, assisted me in capturing him.” He
then went on to describe the man’s features. Rasulullah  remarked:
“Beyond doubt, you were assisted by a noble angel.”
The shackles binding ‘Abbaas were a bit tight. When Rasulullah 
heard the mournful cries of ‘Abbaas, he was deeply moved and overwhelmed with
grief. When the Ansaar heard of this, they promptly removed his shackles and even
went to the extent of recommending: “O Rasulullah! If you consent to it, we wish to
absolve our nephew ‘Abbaas from payment of the ransom.” Rasulullah 
replied: “By Allah! Do not even yield for a single dirham.”
Nonetheless, when Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  was demanded to pay the ransom,

he pleaded poverty. To this Rasulullah  responded: “Okay, so where is the
treasure that you and your wife Umme Fadl buried?”
Jolted beyond surprise, Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  declared: “I bear testimony
that you are indisputably the Prophet of Allah. Apart from Umme Fadl and I,
nobody else knows about it.”
Ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates that Rasulullah  fixed one hundred
Awqiyah of silver as ransom for ‘Abbaas and eighty for ‘Aqeel bin Abi Taalib.”
(From all the captives, Hadhrat ‘Abbaas’s ransom was the highest.)
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  pleaded: “Did you set my ransom at the highest due to
our close family relationship?” (In other words, our kinship demands that you offer
me some concession in the ransom but instead of a concession, you fixed my
ransom at the highest.)
ۤ ۡ ْ ًۡ ْ ۡ ‫ ا ۡن ﻳ ْﻌﻠﻢ اﷲ ﰲۡ ﻗﻠ‬ºN‫اﻻ ْﺳﺮ ي‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻦ ﰲۡ ۤ اﻳ ۡﺪﻳ‬ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻞ ﻟﻤ‬
ً ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﺧ‬
‫ﲑا ﻣ ﻤﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﺆ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ا‬‫ﲑ‬ ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ۡ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻳ ﺎﻳﻬﺎ اﻟﻨ‬
‫ ﻗ‬
ْ ۡ
﴾۷۰﴿ ‫ واﷲ ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
‫ﻜ ْﻢ و ﻳﻐﻔ ْﺮﻟ‬ ‫ا ﺧ ﺬ ﻣﻨ‬

“O Nabi! Inform the captives who are in your possession (that they should not
bemoan the payment of this ransom), if Allah is aware of any goodness within your
hearts (by you sincerely embracing Islam) then He would award you something far
superior than what was taken from you and He will forgive you. And Allah is most-
forgiving, merciful.” [Surah Anfaal verse 70]
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  would later comment: “If only the ransom demanded from
me was multiplied manifold.”
He further relates: “Whatever Allah Ta’ala has taken from me, He has
rewarded me with something far more superior. He had taken a hundred Awqiyah
of silver from me and rewarded me with a hundred slaves and each and every one
of them is a trader. Allah Ta’ala has fulfilled His promise in this very world and His
second promise was about Maghfirat (forgiveness). I am optimistic of this promise
as well.”
This humble servant adds: Insha Allah, the second promise will also be
fulfilled, for Allah Ta’ala does not breach His promise. I mentioned ‘Insha Allah’
here, more out of blessing and not as a condition.
Amongst the prisoners of Badr was Nawfal bin Haaris. When Rasulullah
 asked him to pay ransom, he beseeched: “I have absolutely nothing to
pay in ransom.”
Rasulullah  responded by saying: “Where are those spears you left in
Jeddah?” Nawfal replied: “By Allah! After Allah nobody but I know of their
existence. I testify that verily you are the Prophet of Allah.”
Chapter 12 269
Nawfal surrendered these spears to Rasulullah  as payment of his

ransom. They numbered a thousand spears in all. Rasulullah  established
a bond of brotherhood between Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  and Hadhrat Nawfal
. Both of them were friends during the days of pre-Islamic ignorance. They
were business associates as well.
‘Umair bin Wahab Jumahi was one of the most bitter enemies of Islam.
During the Makkan period, Rasulullah  and his Sahaabah  were
subjected to severe torture and persecution at his hands. His son Wahab bin ‘Umair
was also one of the captives of Badr.
‘Umair bin Wahab and Safwaan bin Umayyah were one day seated in the
Hateem area when Safwaan broached the subject of the captives of Badr saying:
“Nowadays there is no joy left in our lives.” ‘Umair responded: “Yes. That is right,
by Allah! Since the slaying of the chieftains of Quraysh, life really holds no bliss for
us. If it was not for the concern of my debts and children, I would have promptly
went up to Muhammad and finished him off.”
This brought profound delight to Safwaan who promised: “The burden of your
debts, family and children is all on my shoulders.” Safwaan then burnished his
sword and tempering it with a deadly toxin, he handed it over to ‘Umair.
Taking the sword, ‘Umair set out for Madinah. He proceeded straight to the
door of the Masjid and halted his camel there.
The moment Hadhrat ‘Umar  laid eyes on him, he figured out that this
man has turned up with some wicked plan. Hadhrat ‘Umar  at once, grasped
his sword-belt and yanked him along into the presence of Rasulullah .
Rasulullah  asked Hadhrat ‘Umar  to release him and
addressed ‘Umair: “What brings you here?” “I have come,” he replied, “to secure
the release of one of our captives.” Rasulullah  insisted: “No, speak the
truth. What really brings you here? Speak the truth, what discussion did you and
Safwaan hold in the Hateem?”
Agitated by this, ‘Umair nervously asked: “What did I propose in that
discussion?” Rasulullah  replied: “You assumed the responsibility of
assassinating me on condition that Safwaan would bear the burdens of your family
and debts.”
‘Umair responded:
ّٰ
‫ ان هذا الديث كن بين وبي صفوان ف‬4‫اشهد انك رسول ا‬
ّٰ
4‫ به فامنت با‬4‫الجر لم يطلع عليه احد غيي وغيه فاخبك ا‬
‫ورسول‬
“I testify that you are certainly the Rasool of Allah. This discussion was solely
between Safwaan and myself in the Hateem. Nobody save the two of us was aware
of what transpired. Only Allah could have informed you. So I believe in Allah and
His Rasool.”
According to the narration of Ibn Ishaaq, ‘Umair said:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫م‬K‫س‬K‫ الي هدان ل‬4 ‫ فالمد‬4‫ ا‬O‫ علم ما آتاك به ا‬O ‫ ان‬4‫وا‬
‫وساقن هذا المساق ثم تشهد‬
“By Allah! I am convinced that nobody but Allah could have informed you of this
incident. So all praise is due to Allah Who has guided me towards Islam and Who
has driven me to this end.” He then recited the Kalimah.
Rasulullah  addressed the Sahaabah : “Teach your brother the
knowledge of Deen and teach him the Qur-aan and release his prisoner.”
The captive was immediately released into the care of ‘Umair . ‘Umair
 then addressed Rasulullah  saying: “O Rasulullah! I was awfully
persistent in trying to smother the Deen of Allah Ta’ala and I subjected the
Muslims to an assortment of agonising afflictions. Now allow me to return to
Makkah and call the people to Allah and His Rasool and to invite them towards
Islam. Perhaps Allah Ta’ala would guide them to the right path. Allow me to
torment His enemies as I was previously tormenting His friends.” Rasulullah
 conceded to his request.
Whilst ‘Umair was leaving from Madinah, in Makkah, Safwaan was gleefully
informing everyone he met: “Do not worry, in a few days I will give you such
delightful news that would make you forget about the sorrow of Badr.”
He also continued making enquiries from other travellers about ‘Umair. When
he heard about ‘Umair embracing Islam, he flew into a rage and pledged: “By
Allah! I will neither speak to ‘Umair nor will I benefit him in any way.”
‘Umair  landed in Makkah and set about inviting people to Islam. Due
to his determined efforts, many people turned to Islam. As for the enemies of Islam,
he put them through a great deal of aggravation.
Salaatul-Eid
After his return from Badr, Rasulullah  performed Eid Salaah on the first
day of Shawwaal. This was the first Eidul-Fitr ever performed.
Chapter 13
Virtues of the Badriyeen
Hadhrat Ali  narrates that in the incident of Haatib bin Abi Balta‘ah (the
details of which will be mentioned later on, Insha Allah), Rasulullah 
addressed Hadhrat ‘Umar  saying:
ّٰ
‫ اطلع ا¯ اهل بدر فقال اعملوا ماشئتم فقد وجبت لكم النة‬4‫لعل ا‬
“Verily Allah Ta’ala focused His (compassionate) attention towards the participants
of Badr and said: “Do whatever you wish, for Jannah has become inevitable for
you.”
Hadhrat Jaabir  relates that Rasulullah  said:
‫لن يدخل الار احد شهد بدرا‬

“A participant of Badr will never enter the fire of Jahannam.”
Rifa’ah Raaf‘i  narrates that once Jibraa’eel  appeared before
Rasulullah  and asked: “What do you think of the Badri Sahaabah
?” Rasulullah  replied: “They are the best of people.” To this
Jibraa’eel  remarked: “Yes, similarly, the angels who participated in the
battle of Badr are also regarded as the best of angels.”
271
Number of Badri Sahaabah 
The total number of the Badri Sahaabah  were three hundred and thirteen.
There were eight people who, for some reason or the other, were unable to
participate in the battle of Badr but they are counted as Badri Sahaabah 
and Rasulullah  also awarded them a share of the spoils.
Register of the Badri Angels

The descent of the angels during the battle of Badr and their subsequent assistance
to and combat with the ranks of Muslims has already been established from the
texts of the Qur-aan and Ahaadith. However, on the basis of the narrations of
Ahaadith, only three names of the participating angels could be ascertained with
certainty. They are as follows:
1. The most noble angel and loyal emissary of Allah Ta’ala to the Ambiyaa
, Sayyidina Jibraa’eel .
2. Sayyidina Mikaa’eel .
3. Sayyidina Israafeel .
Since the Ahaadith make mention of the heavenly descent of the angels in the
order of Jibraa’eel  followed by Mikaa’eel  and then by Israafeel
, the same sequence of descent was observed in the above list as well.
Register of the Martyrs of Badr

ۤ ۡ ْ ‫ﺣﻴﺂءٌ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ رﺑ‬ ْ ‫ﻞا‬ ْ ْ
‫ﲔ ﺑ ﻤﺎ‬
‫ ﴾ ﻓﺮﺣ‬۱۶۹ۙ ﴿ ‫ ﻳ ْﺮ زﻗ ۡﻮن‬$ ‫ ﺑ‬M ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﻗﺘﻠ ۡﻮا ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ ا ْﻣﻮاﺗًﺎ‬
‫ﱭ‬ ‫و ﻻ ﺗﺤﺴ‬

ْ‫ وﻻ ﻫﻢ‬$ ْ ‫ ا ﻻ ﺧ ْﻮ ٌف ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬º $ ْ ‫ ﻣ ْﻦ ﺧ ْﻠﻔ‬$
ۡ ‫ﺎ\ﻳۡﻦ ﻟ ْﻢ ﻳ ْﻠﺤﻘ ۡﻮا ﺑ‬ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ
‫ٰا ٰﺗ‬
‫ﺸ ﺮو ن ﺑ‬E‫ وﺴ ﺘ‬º ² ٖ ‫ اﷲ ﻣﻦ ﻓﻀ‬$
ْ
﴾ ۱۷۰ۘ ﴿ ‫ﻳﺤﺰﻧ ۡﻮن‬

“And do not regard those who have been killed in the path of Allah as dead. Nay,
they are alive by their Lord, they are provided with sustenance. They rejoice in what
Allah has bestowed upon them from His bounty and they take delight for the sake
of those who have not yet joined them but are left behind (not martyred) that no
fear shall befall them, nor will they grieve.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verses 169-170]
Chapter 13 273

2 l k# j
,
2 D n gm #
“There is no need to shed tears over the grave of a beloved, Take solace from the fact
that he is the accepted servant of the ‘true beloved (Allah Ta’ala).”
(1) ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris bin Muttalib .
He was severely wounded on his leg at Badr. He lost the leg and succumbed to his
injuries by the time he reached Safraa. Rasulullah  buried him there.
It is said that on one occasion, Rasulullah  and his Sahaabah 
broke their journey in Safraa. Some of the Sahaabah  exclaimed: “O
Rasulullah! We perceive the fragrance of musk from around here.” Rasulullah
 said: “What is surprising about that? Abu Mu‘aawiyah’s grave is here.”
(Abu Mu‘aawiyah was the title of Hadhrat ‘Ubaidah bin Haaris .)
(2) ‘Umair bin Abi Waqqaas 
He was the younger brother of S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas . S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas
 narrates: “When the combatants of Badr assembled to depart, I caught sight
of my brother ‘Umair  ducking about in the crowd. I asked him: ‘Brother!
What is happening with you?’ He replied: ‘I fear that Rasulullah  will
spot me and send me back home due to my young age. I yearn to go into battle.
Perhaps Allah Ta’ala would honour me with martyrdom.’ When Rasulullah
 inspected the ranks of the Sahaabah , he caught sight of ‘Umair
and declared that he be sent back due to his age. Upon this, ‘Umair  burst out
crying. However, when Rasulullah  noticed his zealous enthusiasm to
participate in the campaign, he allowed him to stay on. Subsequently, he took part
in the battle and was martyred. ‘Umair  was only sixteen at that time.”
(3) Zush-Shimaalain bin ‘Abdi ‘Amr Muhaajiri 
(4) Aaqil bin Bukair 
He was from amongst the earliest Muslims. He embraced Islam in Daaru Arqam.
Initially his name was Ghaafil (which means negligent). Rasulullah  later
changed his name to Aaqil (which means intelligent and alert). Prior to him
embracing Islam, he was Ghaafil - negligent and ignorant of the hereafter but he
turned out to be Aaqil - intelligent and alert after he embraced Islam. This is why
Rasulullah  preferred this name for him. And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
He was martyred in the battle of Badr. He was thirty-four at that time.
(5) Mihj‘a bin Saalih, the emancipated slave of ‘Umar bin Khattaab 
Sa’eed bin Musayyab narrates: “During the battle, the following words were on
Mihj‘a’s tongue: ‘‘‫‘ ’انا مهجع وا¯ رب ارجع‬I am Mihj‘a and unto my Lord do I intend
to return.’”
(6) Safwaan bin Baydaa Muhaajiri 
Him being a Badri Sahaabi is undisputed but whether he was martyred at Badr is
something the scholars have failed to agree upon. Some are of the opinion that he
was martyred in the battle of Badr at the hands of Tu‘aimah bin ‘Adi.
(7) S‘ad bin Khaysamah 
He was a Sahaabi and the son of a Sahaabi. Both father and son were martyrs. The
son, S‘ad was martyred in Badr whilst the father, Khaysamah was martyred in the
battle of Uhud.
Hadhrat S‘ad  also participated in the pledge of ‘Aqabah. Rasulullah
 appointed him as the head of the Banu ‘Amr tribe.
When Rasulullah  enjoined the Sahaabah  to step forth
against the trade caravan of Abu Sufyaan, Khaysamah implored his son S‘ad
saying: “Son! One of us will have to stay behind at home to take care of the women
and children. I request you to give me preference and allow me to go in the
company of Rasulullah  whilst you stay here at home.” S‘ad 
bluntly refused and said:
‫لو كن غي النة آثر تك به ان ارجو الشهادة ف وجه هذا‬

“If it was in any other affair besides Jannah, I would have undeniably given you
this honour and given you preference over myself but I entertain high aspirations of
martyrdom in this campaign.”
Thereafter, lots were drawn between father and son. Thus the lot was drawn in
favour of the son. The son turned out to be more fortunate than the father and with
unbridled enthusiasm he set out with Rasulullah  towards Badr. During
the battle of Badr he was martyred at the hands of either ‘Amr bin ‘Abd Wadd or
Tu‘aimah bin ‘Adi. May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with S’ad.
(8) Mubasshir bin ‘Abdi Munzir Ansaari 
(9) Yazeed bin Haaris Ansaari 
(10) ‘Umair bin Hamaam Ansaari 
It is reported from Hadhrat Anas  that on the day of Badr, Rasulullah
 said: “O People! Rise for the Jannah whose breadth is as extensive as the
expanse of the earth and sky.” To this ‘Umair  remarked: “Bakh! Bakh! (Wow!
Wow!)” Rasulullah  asked: “’Umair! What drove you to utter Bakh!
Chapter 13 275
Bakh!” ‘Umair  replied: “O Rasulullah! Nothing but the earnest desire to be

counted amongst the inhabitants of Jannah had driven me to utter this.” Rasulullah
 declared: “Undoubtedly, you are of the inhabitants of Jannah.” He then
took out a few dates and began eating them when suddenly he cast them aside and
said: “If I am to occupy myself in consuming these dates, life would then be too
long.” Casting these dates aside, he leaped into the thick of battle and continued
fighting until he was martyred.
According to Ibn Ishaaq’s narration, ‘Umair  clutched a sword in his
hand whilst the following words of poetry were streaming forth from his tongue:
ّٰ
‫ الق وعمل المعاد‬O‫ا‬ ‫ بغي زاد‬4‫ركضا ا¯ ا‬
“Hasten to Allah without any provision but the provision of Taqwa (Allah-
consciousness) and deeds for the hereafter.
ّٰ
‫ < الهاد‬4‫والصب ف ا‬
And ensure you take with you in the path of Allah the provision of patience and
fortitude.
‫غي الق والب والرشاد‬ ‫وك زاد عرضة الفاد‬

Every provision will come to an end except the provision of Taqwa, righteousness
and virtue.”
(11) Raaf‘i bin Mu‘allaa Ansaari 
(12) Haarisah bin Suraaqah Ansaari 
Haarisah bin Suraaqah bin Haaris Ansaari  was a Sahaabi and the son of a
Sahaabi. He was a martyr and the son of a martyr. The son, Hadhrat Haarisah
 was martyred in the battle of Badr whilst his father, Hadhrat Suraaqah
 was martyred in the battle of Hunain.
Hadhrat Anas  reports that Haarisah was martyred in Badr whilst he
was a very young man. When Rasulullah  returned from the battle of
Badr, his mother Rubayy‘i bint Nadr  appeared before Rasulullah 
and submitted: “O Rasulullah! You are well aware how profound my love for my
son Haarisah was. So if he is in Jannah I will exercise patience and hope for reward
from Allah. However, if it is something else, you will see what I will do. (I will
mourn him a great deal and weep profusely in sorrow and pain.)” Rasulullah
 remarked: “He is favoured with not one but many Jannahs. And most
certainly, he is dwelling in Jannatul-Firdaus (the highest rank of Jannah).”
(13) ‘Awf bin Haaris Ansaari 
(14) Mu‘awwiz bin Haaris Ansaari 

Both of them are brothers. Their mother was ‘Afraa . The incident relating to
the martyrdom of ‘Awf bin Haaris  has already been mentioned previously.
‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  narrates that the companions of Rasulullah
 who were martyred in the battle of Badr were blessed with the spectacle
of the noor (light) of Allah Ta’ala. He enquired from them: “O My servants! What
do you wish for?” The Sahaabah  replied: “O Almighty! Are there any
bounties greater than the bounties of Jannah that You had blessed us with?” Allah
Ta’ala again asked: “Tell Me, what do you wish for?” The fourth time when Allah
Ta’ala repeated the question, the Sahaabah  submitted: “O Allah! We yearn
for our souls to be returned to our physical bodies so that we may be slain in Your
path once again.”
Prisoners of Badr
As established previously on the basis of authentic Ahaadith, in the battle of Badr,
seventy disbelievers were killed and seventy were captured as prisoners.
(1) ‘Abbaas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib
He was the respected uncle (father’s brother) of Rasulullah . He was
merely two years elder than Rasulullah . He openly declared his Islam
just before the conquest of Makkah.
(2) Aqil bin Abu Taalib
He was Rasulullah’s  cousin (father’s brother’s son). He embraced Islam
around the time of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
Hadhrat Aqil  was ten years elder than Hadhrat Ja’far . Similarly,
Hadhrat Ja’far  was also ten years elder than Hadhrat Ali . Abu
Taalib’s eldest son, Taalib (after whom he acquired his title) was also ten years
elder than Hadhrat Aqil . However, the eldest son, Taalib was deprived of the
bounty of Islam. Three of these four brothers were blessed with Islam; Aqil, Ja’far
and Ali .
(3) Nawfal bin Haaris 
The story of his embracing Islam has been cited previously. It is said that he
embraced Islam in the year the battle of Khandaq (trench) took place. In other
words, he embraced Islam in 5 A.H.
Chapter 14
Other Expeditions
Assassination of ‘Asma, the Jewess – 26th Ramadhaan 2 A.H.
‘Asma was a Jewess who maliciously recited poetry in denigration of the honour of
Rasulullah . She would persistently search for a variety of ways to cause
harm to Rasulullah . She would endeavour to instil feelings of revulsion
in the hearts of people against Rasulullah  and Islam. Rasulullah
 had not even returned from Badr when she recited some derogatory
poetry once again. The moment ‘Umair bin ‘Adi  heard these offensive lines,
he was overwhelmed with rage and vowed: “By the grace of Allah, if Rasulullah
 returns safe and sound from the battle of Badr, I will kill her.”
When Rasulullah  returned triumphant and safe from the battle of
Badr, ‘Umair  set out at night wielding a sword. When he reached her house,
he searched for her with his hand, as he was blind. There were some children
around her whom he drove away. He then positioned his sword on her chest and
plunged it with such force that it penetrated all the way through and emerged from
her back.
As he fulfilled this vow, he returned and performed his Fajr Salaah with
Rasulullah  and informed him about the incident. He then submitted: “O
Rasulullah! Will I be taken to task for what I did?” Rasulullah  replied:
“This is something over which not even two goats would butt one another.” In
other words, this is something over which there is virtually no difference of
opinion. Let alone humans, even animals would have no reservations about this.
This despicable woman would dispose of her soiled sanitary pads right within
the sacred confines of the Masjid.
In short, Rasulullah  was exceptionally delighted at ‘Umair’s 
accomplishment and addressing the Sahaabah , he said:
277
ّٰ
¯‫ ورسول بالغيب فانظروا ا‬4‫اذا احببتم ان تنظروا ا¯ رجل نص ا‬
‫عمي بن عدي‬
“If you wish to lay your eyes on a man who assisted Allah and His Rasool secretly,
then cast your gaze upon ‘Umair bin ‘Adi.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  remarked: “Just look at this blind man who stealthily set out
in the obedience of Allah.” Upon this Rasulullah  commented: “Do not
call him blind. This man is sighted.” In other words, he may be physically blind but
he possesses profound insight of the heart.
This woman was slain on the twenty-fifth of Ramadhaan.
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates that ‘Umair  fell ill. Rasulullah 
enjoined:
‫ نعوده‬،‫انطلقوا بنا ا¯ الصي الي ف بن واقف‬

“Come, let us go and visit the sighted man who is in Banu Waaqif.”
Hafiz ‘Iraaqi  sums up in poetic words:
َّ ‫ت‬
‫البيا‬ ّ َ َۡ َ ‫َف َب ۡع ُث ُه ُع َميا‬
ّ ‫ال ۡط‬
ِ ‫لِقت ِل عصما هج‬ ‫ميا‬
“Umair  was despatched to assassinate ‘Asma who vilified Rasulullah
.”
Battle of Qarqaratul-Kudr
On his return from the battle of Badr, at the beginning of the month of Shawwaal,
when Rasulullah  heard of the build up of the Sulaim and Ghitfaan
forces, he set out with two hundred men. When Rasulullah  landed at the
springs of Kudr, he was informed that the enemies of Islam had already dispersed
when they got news of Rasulullah . After staying over for three days,
Rasulullah  returned without engaging the enemy in combat.
According to some narrations, Rasulullah  despatched a small
contingent in pursuit of the enemy and they returned with a booty of five hundred
camels.
For the rest of Shawwaal and Zul-Q‘adah, Rasulullah  stayed in
Madinah and during this period, the captives of Badr were set free after paying
their ransom.
Chapter 14 279
Assassination of Abu ‘Afak, the Jew

Within the same month of Shawwaal, Rasulullah  charged Saalim bin
‘Umair  with the killing of Abu ‘Afak.
By religion Abu ‘Afak was a Jew. He was an extremely old man. He was one
hundred and twenty years old. He would often recite poetry in defamation of
Rasulullah  and he would incite hostility and aggression against
Rasulullah . However, when his audacious impudence went beyond the
extremes, Rasulullah  enquired from the Sahaabah : “Who (will
stand in preservation of my honour) against this evil man?”
Upon this, Saalim bin ‘Umair  remarked: “O Rasulullah ! I
have already sworn an oath that either I would kill Abu ‘Afak or I would die (in the
process).” Clutching his sword, he set out for Abu ‘Afak. It was a hot summer’s
night and Abu ‘Afak was fast asleep, dead to the world. As Saalim  appeared
before his sleeping form, he placed his sword on his liver and drove it in with such
force that the sword went all the way through the bed. This brazen enemy of Allah
uttered a shriek and people dashed to his assistance but he was over and done with.
Campaign of Qaynuqaa - Saturday 15th of Shawwaal 2 A.H.

The Banu Qaynuqaa were the kinsfolk of ‘Abdullah bin Salaam . (They were
Jews). They were incredibly daring and an extremely courageous people. On
Saturday, the fifteenth or sixteenth of Shawwaal, Rasulullah  went into
their market place, assembled them in one area and addressed them saying:
ّٰ
‫ مثل ما نزل بقريش من القمة‬4‫يا معش يهود احذروا من ا‬
‫واسلموا فانكم قد عرفتم ان نب مرسل تدون ذلك ف كتابكم‬
ّٰ
‫ الكم‬4‫وعهد ا‬
“O Jewish people! Fear from Allah a doom similar to the punishment that had
befallen the Quraysh. Embrace Islam because you very well know that I am a true
Messenger of Allah. You will find this written in your book (the Tourah) and Allah
has taken a covenant from you about this.”
The moment the Jews heard this, their fury knew no bounds and they indignantly
replied: “Do not be deceived by your victory over an inexperienced and ignorant
enemy (the Quraysh). By Allah! If you had to fight us, you will realise that we are
men in the true sense of the word.” Upon this, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following
verse:
ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ٌ ْ ۡ ‫ ﻓﺌ ٌﺔ ﺗﻘﺎﺗﻞ ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ‬M ‫ﻗ ْﺪ ﻛﺎن ﻟﻜ ْﻢ ٰاﻳ ٌﺔ ﰲۡ ﻓﺌﺘ ۡﲔ اﻟْﺘﻘﺘﺎ‬

‫ راي‬$ ‫ ﻣﺜ ﻠﻴ‬$ ‫ﻛﺎﻓﺮة ﻳﺮ ْوﻧ‬
‫ي‬ ٰ
‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻴ‬
ۡ
﴾۱۳﴿ ‫ﻚ ﻟﻌﱪةً ﻻو اﻻﺑْﺼﺎر‬
ْ ْ ‫ واﷲ ﻳﺆﻳﺪ ﺑﻨ‬M ‫اﻟْﻌ ۡﲔ‬
ۡ ‫ﺼﺮه ﻣ‬
‫ ا ن ﰲۡ ٰذﻟ‬M ‫ﻦ ﺸﺂء‬
ٖ

“Verily there is a sign for you (O Jews!) in those two groups who met in combat; one
group was fighting in the path of Allah whilst the other was made up of the
disbelievers. They (the Muslims) saw them (the disbelievers) with their own eyes
twice their number. And Allah supports with His assistance whom He wills. Surely
in this is a lesson for those who have insight.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 13]
When Rasulullah  migrated to Madinah Munawwarah, he formed a pact
with the Jewish tribes of Banu Qaynuqaa, Banu Qurayzah and Banu Nazeer. The
peace accord with these Jewish tribes commissioned all parties to refrain from
waging war against the Muslims and to refrain from assisting their enemies.
However, the Banu Qaynuqaa were the first to break this accord. They responded
to Rasulullah’s  sermon with unreserved rudeness and braced themselves
for war against the Muslims.
This tribe was living on the outskirts of Madinah. Appointing Abu Lubaabah
bin ‘Abul-Munzir Ansaari as his representative in Madinah, Rasulullah 
set out for the Banu Qaynuqaa. When they learnt of the Muslim army approaching,
they took refuge in one of their forts and sealed the doorway. From the fifteenth of
Shawwaal up to the first of Zul-Q‘adah, Rasulullah  laid siege to the fort.
Constrained by the circumstances, they were eventually forced to surrender.
Rasulullah  then ordered their hands to be tied to their backs.
Owing to the lamenting pleas of the chief of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah bin
Ubayy bin Salool, Rasulullah  spared their lives but after first
confiscating their property, Rasulullah  condemned them to a life of
banishment.
Rasulullah  then returned with their property to Madinah where he
distributed four fifths of the booty amongst the combatants and the remaining one
fifth he kept for himself. After Badr, this was the first khums (one fifth) that
Rasulullah  took with his own blessed hands.
‘Ubaadah bin Saamit  says: “I had entered into a treaty of alliance with
the Banu Qaynuqaa but when I observed their wicked behaviour and treacherous
nature, I broke off with them and publicly declared my detachment and revulsion
against them.”
‘Ubaadah bin Saamit  submitted before Rasulullah :
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ و رسول والمؤمني‬4‫ وا¯ رسول وأتول ا‬4‫ اتبأ ا¯ ا‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
‫ يتهم‬O‫وابرأ من حلف الكفار و و‬
Chapter 14 281
“O Rasulullah! I have declared my detachment from your enemy and proclaim my

association with Allah, His Rasool and the believers. I affirm my disengagement
from the alliance of the kuffaar and their friendship.”
Campaign of Saweeq – 5th Zul-Hijjah 2 A.H.

After the Battle of Badr, when the routed army of the Mushrikeen returned to
Makkah utterly defeated, Abu Sufyaan bin Harb swore an oath that he will never
take a clean bath until he launched an attack on Madinah.
Subsequently, in order to discharge this oath, at the beginning of Zul-Hijjah,
he set out with two hundred mounted men towards the direction of Madinah.
When they reached a place called ‘Uraid, just three miles before Madinah, they
crept into a date orchard where two people were busy cultivating the land. One
was an Ansaari whilst the other was a labourer. He killed both of them and set fire
to a few trees on the notion that he was now absolved of his oath. He then
promptly fled from the area.
When Rasulullah  learnt of this, he set out in pursuit of Abu Sufyaan
with two hundred Muhaajireen and Ansaar on Sunday the fifth of Zul-Hijjah.
However, they failed to apprehend anyone because Abu Sufyaan and his people
had long since departed. Whilst fleeing, in order to lighten their burden, they
dumped their bags of Saweeq (crushed wheat flavoured with ghee). The pursuing
Muslims army managed to salvage these bags, hence the name of this campaign,
the campaign of Saweeq.
Eidul-Adhaa
On the ninth of Zul-Hijjah, Rasulullah  returned from the campaign of
Saweeq and on the tenth of Zul-Hijjah, he performed two Rakaats of Eid Salaah. He
then sacrificed two sheep and instructed the Muslims to perform Qurbaani as well.
This was the first Eidul-Adhaa of the Muslims.
Nikah of Hadhrat Faatimah 
In the same year Rasulullah  got his youngest daughter, Hadhrat

Faatimah , married to Hadhrat Ali .
First Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and then Hadhrat ‘Umar  expressed a
desire to achieve this auspicious eminence but Rasulullah  remained
silent on both occasions. According to another narration, Rasulullah 
replied: “I am awaiting the divine commandment of Allah Ta’ala in this regard.”
Thereafter, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and Hadhrat ‘Umar  both advised
Hadhrat Ali  to submit a proposal for the hand of Hadhrat Faatimah .
On the basis of this sincere and whole-hearted advice, Hadhrat Ali  appeared
before Rasulullah  and put forward this request. As per divine revelation,
Rasulullah  accepted the proposal of Hadhrat Ali .
Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “When I aimed to present my marriage proposal, I
reflected: ‘By Allah! I have nothing whereas expenses are certain to arise on the
occasion of marriage.’ However, Rasulullah’s  benevolence, good
character and compassion boosted my courage to put this proposal before him.
Rasulullah  asked me: “Do you possess anything that you may pay
as Mehr?” When I replied in the negative, Rasulullah  enquired: “Where
is the body armour you received in the battle of Badr?” I replied: “I still have it with
me.” Rasulullah  said: “Very well. You may offer that to Faatimah as her
Mehr.”
Hadhrat Ali  sold the body armour to Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  for 480
Dirhams. When Hadhrat Ali  placed these Dirhams before Rasulullah
, he advised: “Arrange for some scent and clothing from this money.”
The following negligible goods made up the Jahez (dowry) which Rasulullah
 gave to his daughter Hadhrat Faatimah : a quilt, a leather
mattress filled with the bark of a tree instead of cotton padding, two hand-mills, a
water-skin and two earthenware pots.
As the time for the consummation of the marriage approached, Rasulullah
 requested Hadhrat Ali  to arrange a house. Hadhrat Ali 
arranged for a house on rent and consummated his marriage therein. Hadhrat
Faatimah  requested him to ask Haarisah bin N‘umaan  for his house
but Hadhrat Ali  felt ashamed to make such a request. When Haarisah bin
Nu’maan  somehow learnt of this request, he went to Rasulullah 
and pleaded: “O Rasulullah! I swear by Allah that whatever you take from me will
be more cherished than what you do not take from me.” Rasulullah 
replied: “You have spoken the truth. May Allah bless you.” Haarisah  then
shifted to another house and offered this house to Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat
Faatimah .
Campaign of Ghitfaan 3 A.H. - Also referred to as the campaign

of Anmaar and the campaign of Zu Amar
On his return from the campaign of Saweeq, Rasulullah  spent the rest of
Zul-Hijjah in Madinah. During this period, Rasulullah  learnt that the
Banu S‘alabah and Banu Mahaarib (both subdivisions of the Ghitfaan tribe) were
assembling in Najd with the express intention of plundering the surrounding areas
of Madinah. They were under the command of D‘asoor Ghitfaani.
Chapter 14 283
Intending to launch an attack on the Ghitfaan tribe, Rasulullah  set

out from Madinah in the company of four hundred and fifty Sahaabah  in
the month of Muharram 3 A.H. after appointing Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  as his
representative in Madinah.
The moment the Ghitfaan tribe got wind of Rasulullah’s  approach,
they took flight and dispersed into the mountains. The Sahaabah  managed
to apprehend just one member of the Banu S‘alabah tribe. He was brought before
Rasulullah  who invited him towards Islam and he accepted. Rasulullah
 spent the whole month of Safar there but not a single soul dared to
attack him. Without engaging the enemy in battle, Rasulullah  then
returned to Madinah in Rabi‘ul-Awwal.
During the course of this journey, a heavy downpour left Rasulullah 
and the Sahaabah  drenched. Rasulullah  hung his clothes on a
nearby tree to dry and he lay down to rest under the same tree. The Bedouins of
the area continued keeping Rasulullah  in sight. They challenged their
commander D‘asoor, a gallant young man, by saying: “Muhammad () is
lying down all alone under that tree and his companions are all scattered about.
Why do you not go and finish him off?”
Grasping an exceptionally sharp sword, D’asoor strode up to Rasulullah
 and wielding the naked sword before him, D’asoor arrogantly
demanded: “O Muhammad! Tell me! Who will save you from my sword today?”
Rasulullah  calmly responded: “Allah will.” Rasulullah  barely
uttered this statement when Jibraa’eel  dealt D’asoor a severe punch to his
chest causing his sword to fly out of his hand.
Rasulullah  retrieved the sword and asked: “Now tell me, who will
save you from my sword?” D’asoor replied: “Nobody.”
D’asoor embraced Islam and recited the Kalimah of Shahaadah. (I bear witness
that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and that Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah.) D’asoor also pledged not to assemble forces of combat against
Rasulullah .
Rasulullah  handed his sword back to him. As D’asoor left the
company of Rasulullah , he took a few steps and returned pronouncing:
“By Allah! You are far better than I am.”
When D’asoor returned to his people, they chided him saying: “What is the
problem? What happened about the mission you set out for?” He recounted the
extraordinary incident to them. He also mentioned: “Out of the blue, I was struck
by an unseen fist with such incredible force that I was thrown flat on my back.
Falling in this manner convinced me to believe that only an angel could have
delivered a punch like that. That is why I embraced Islam and I proclaimed the
prophethood of Rasulullah .” From then on, D’asoor embarked on a

mission to invite his people towards Islam.
In reference to this incident, the following verse was revealed:
ۤۡ
ۡ ْ ‫ﻮا اﻟ ۡﻴ‬ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ﻒ‬ ‫ﻜ‬
ْ
‫ ﻓ‬$ ‫ﻜﻢ اﻳﺪﻳ‬
‫ﺴ ﻄ‬E‫ﻜ ْﻢ اذ ﻫﻢ ﻗ ْﻮ ٌم ان ﻳ‬ ‫ﻛﺮ ۡوا ﻧﻌ ﻤﺖ اﷲ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴ‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨﻮا اذ‬
‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬

ۡ ْ ۡ
N‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ‫ ﻋﻨ‬$ ‫اﻳﺪﻳ‬

“O you who believe! Remember the favour of Allah over you when some people
planned to stretch their hands against you but Allah held back their hands from
you.” [Surah Maa’idah verse 11]
Campaign of Buhraan
On his return from the campaign of Ghitfaan, Rasulullah  spent the rest
of Rabi‘ul-Awwal in Madinah. During the month of Rabi‘us-Saani, he got word
that the Banu Sulaim are amassing against Islam in a place called Buhraan, which
was regarded as the mine of Najd. On hearing about this, Rasulullah  set
out in the company of three hundred Sahaabah  towards Buhraan and he
appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktoom  as his representative in Madinah.
The moment the Banu Sulaim heard of Rasulullah’s  imminent
arrival, they promptly dispersed. Without engaging in actual combat, Rasulullah
 returned to Madinah.
Assassination of K‘ab bin Ashraf

When news of the Muslims’ victory in Badr filtered through to Madinah, K‘ab bin
Ashraf the Jew was overwhelmed by profound anguish and lamented: “If the news
that the noble chieftains of Makkah have been killed turns out to be true then the
interior of the earth is far superior than its exterior.” In other words, it is better to
die than to face the humiliation of such a defeat.
When he verified the credibility of this news, he instantly set out for Makkah
to offer solace to the families of the victims of Badr. In praise of the victims of
Badr, he composed poetic eulogies, which he would frequently recite before the
Makkans. Whilst reciting, he himself would weep and bring his listeners to tears as
well. During his visit in Makkah, he would deliver fiery speeches inciting the
Quraysh to take up arms once more against Rasulullah . One day, he
gathered all the Quraysh leaders in the Haram and clinging onto the curtains of the
K‘abah, all of them swore an oath to wage battle against the Muslims. After a few
more days in Makkah, he returned to Madinah where he composed flirtatious love-
poems against the Muslim women.
Chapter 14 285
K‘ab bin Maalik  narrates: “K‘ab bin Ashraf was a poet of great repute.
He would compose mocking couplets to dishonour Rasulullah . He was
relentless in his attempts to incite the disbelievers of Makkah to launch an attack
against Rasulullah . He was perpetually involved in inflicting much
anguish against the Muslims.
Rasulullah  continued advising the Muslims to adopt patience and
forbearance in the face of such distress but when this man persisted in his insidious
mischief, Rasulullah  commanded that he be put to death.”
According to another narration, K‘ab bin Ashraf once called Rasulullah
 on the pretext of inviting him to meals. Meanwhile, he positioned a few
men in the house to assassinate Rasulullah  the moment he entered.
Rasulullah  barely sat down when Jibraa’eel  apprised him of these
people’s malicious intentions. Rasulullah  immediately moved out of
there under the shade of Jibraa’eel’s  wings and on his return, he issued an
edict authorising the assassination of K‘ab bin Ashraf.
Rasulullah  said: “Which of you is willing to kill K‘ab bin Ashraf?
He has caused lots of harm (disobedience) to Allah and His Rasool.” On hearing
this appeal, Muhammad bin Maslamah  stood up and said: “O Rasulullah! Do
you want him put to death?” When Rasulullah  replied in the affirmative,
Muhammad bin Maslamah  asked: “O Rasulullah! Would you permit me to
make certain (ambiguous) statements that would bring delight to K‘ab bin Ashraf?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Yes, you are permitted.”
Subsequently, Muhammad bin Maslamah  went to visit K‘ab and during
the course of their conversation, Muhammad bin Maslamah said: “This man (i.e.
Rasulullah ) demands charity and Zakaat from us (to distribute it
amongst the poor and destitute). Verily, this man has put us into distress.
(Undoubtedly, this is gruelling on those who are insatiably greedy but for those
who are genuinely sincere, for them the giving of charity and assisting the poor
and destitute is exceptionally pleasing. In fact, not spending in the path of Allah is
distressing to them.)”
“I turned up before you,” continued Muhammad bin Maslamah  “to
request a loan from you.” K‘ab replied: “What’s the hurry? Let’s wait and see. By
Allah! You will surely get fed up with him in due course.” Muhammad bin
Maslamah  responded: “Now that we have become his adherents, we cannot
just abandon him. We are now waiting for the outcome of events.” (In his heart he
meant the inevitable outcome of the triumph of Allah and His Rasool and the
crushing defeat of the enemy, in which there was absolutely no doubt.)
Muhammad bin Maslamah  continued: “At this moment, why do you
not lend us some grain?” K‘ab replied: “Agreed, but you will have to lodge some
security against the loan.” They (Muhammad bin Maslamah and his companions)
asked: “What would you prefer us to lodge as security against the loan?” He
replied: “Why don’t you lodge your womenfolk as collateral?” They responded:
“How can we pledge our womenfolk as collateral? Firstly, our Ghayrat (self respect)
will not tolerate this and secondly, you are a handsome and graceful young man.”
K‘ab said: “All right, then why don’t you pawn your children against this loan?”
They replied: “This will then be a lifelong source of indignity and shame for these
children. People would, in time to come, mock them and taunt them by saying:
‘You are the children who were pawned for a few bushels of grain.’ However, we
would be willing to pledge our weapons as security against this loan.”
They further added: “You are well aware of how essential our weapons are to
us. However, we are willing to pawn our arms against the loan. As for pawning our
wives and children, this is definitely out of the question.” K‘ab agreed to this
proposal and committed them to return the same night with the weapons and to
take delivery of the grain.
As per the arrangements, these people returned the same night and called out
to him. As K‘ab prepared to descend from his fortress, his wife anxiously asked:
“Where are you off to at this moment?” “There is absolutely nothing to worry
about,” replied K‘ab. “It is just Muhammad bin Maslamah and my milk-brother
Abu Naa’ilah.” With a hunch of foreboding, his wife said: “I perceive the sound of
blood dripping from this man’s voice.” K‘ab replied: “When a noble man is
summoned at night, he should respond even if he is summoned to hurl a spear.”
In the interim, Muhammad bin Maslamah  had outlined his strategy to
his companions. He explained to them: “When K‘ab appears, I will attempt to smell
the fragrance of his hair. When you notice his hair firmly gripped by my hands,
quickly finish him off.”
When K‘ab appeared before them, he was radiating a most pleasant fragrance.
Head to toe, he was emitting a heady scent. Muhammad bin Maslamah exclaimed:
“I have never come across such a pleasant fragrance before this.” To this K‘ab
commented: “I have with me the most beautiful woman of Arabia and she is a most
fragrant woman.” Muhammad bin Maslamah  asked: “May I have an
opportunity to smell your fragrant head?” K‘ab replied: “Sure! You may do so.”
Muhammad bin Maslamah  stepped forth and sniffed him and made his
companions also smell his fragrance. A little while later, Muhammad  asked:
“Will you permit me to inhale your fragrance once again?” “Surely!” replied K‘ab,
“by all means you may do so.” Muhammad bin Maslamah  stood up and as
he was busy inhaling the scent of his head, he got hold of K‘ab’s hair and clutching
firmly onto it, he indicated to his companions. They promptly stepped forward and
beheaded him. In the blink of an eye, he was no more.
In the latter part of the night, they returned to Rasulullah , who, the
instant he laid eyes on them, remarked: “These faces have triumphed.” To this they
replied: “And your face as well, O Rasulullah!”
Chapter 14 287
They then placed K‘ab bin Ashraf’s head before Rasulullah .

Rasulullah  said Alhamdulillah! and expressed his profound gratitude
before Allah Ta’ala.
When the Jews heard of the assassination of K‘ab bin Ashraf, they were left
awestruck and were pitched into a state of utter panic. The next morning, a group
of Jews appeared before Rasulullah  and complained about their leader
being slain by the Muslims. Rasulullah  responded: “He was guilty of
causing endless misery to the Muslims and he would frequently incite others to
wage war against us.” This reply left them expressly dumbfounded and they were
unable to respond. Rasulullah  then initiated them into signing a formal
agreement wherein they pledged not to engage in such subversive activities.
Islam of Huwayyisah bin Mas’ood 
Following the assassination of K‘ab bin Ashraf the Jew, Rasulullah 

enjoined the Sahaabah  to eliminate such evil Jews wherever they find them.
Consequently, Huwayyisah bin Mas’ood’s younger brother Muhayyisah bin
Mas’ood killed Ibn Sabinah, a merchant Jew who conducted business with
Huwayyisah, Muhayyisah and some other inhabitants of Madinah.
Huwayyisah had not yet embraced Islam whilst Muhayyisah was a Muslim.
Since Huwayyisah was the elder brother, he caught hold of his younger sibling
Muhayyisah, and whilst whacking him bellowed: “O enemy of Allah! How could
you have killed him? By Allah, you benefitted tremendously from his wealth and
yet you kill him!”
To this Muhayyisah replied:
ّٰ
‫ لقد امرن بقتله من لو امرن بقتلك لضبت عنقك‬4‫وا‬
“By Allah! Such a personality has charged me to kill him that if he asked me to kill
you, I would not hesitate in chopping your head off.”
Taken aback, Huwayyisah asked:
ّٰ
‫ لو امرك ممد بقتل لقتلتن‬4‫ا‬
“What? If Muhammad asked you to kill me, would you kill me?”
Muhayyisah replied:
ّٰ
‫ لو امرن بضب عنقك لضبتها‬4‫نعم وا‬
“Of course! By Allah! If Muhammad instructs me to behead you I will not hesitate to
do so.”
In other words, in the face of Rasulullah’s  instruction, you being my

brother would not have crossed my mind in the least.
Downright shocked on hearing this, Huwayyisah spontaneously exclaimed:
“By Allah, this is really the true religion that penetrates the hearts with such
intense fervour and permeates every vein of the body with such intensity.”
Thereafter Huwayyisah appeared before Rasulullah  and embraced
Islam with a sincere heart.
Sariyyah of Zaid bin Haarisah  - 3 A.H.

Following the victory of the Muslims at Badr, the Quraysh of Makkah were left so
terrified and awestruck of the Muslims that out of fear of harassment, they stopped
using their ancient trade routes altogether. Instead of using the well-established
route that took them towards Syria, they started using the road that led towards
Iraq, and they employed Furaat bin Hayyaan ‘Ajali as their guide. Once, a well-
laden trade caravan left Makkah towards the Iraq road. Abu Sufyaan bin Harb,
Safwaan bin Umayyah, Huwaytib bin ‘Abdul-’Uzza and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah
were also with this caravan. (During the conquest of Makkah, all four of them
embraced Islam.)
When Rasulullah  heard of this caravan, he despatched a group of
one hundred Sahaabah  under the command of Zaid bin Haarisah .
They attacked the caravan and although they were successful in appropriating the
goods, the noblemen and other members of the caravan managed to flee. Only
Furaat bin Hayyaan was captured as a prisoner and brought back with them.
However, he embraced Islam when he reached Madinah.
The abundance of the booty can be gauged from the khums (one fifth allocated
to Rasulullah  and the Baitul-Maal) which amounted to twenty thousand
dirhams. From this, we deduce that the total booty amounted to one hundred
thousand dirhams.
Assassination of Abu Raaf’i - Jumaadath-Thaani 3 A.H.

Abu Raaf’i was a prominent Jew merchant. Abu Raaf’i was his title. His name was
‘Abdullah bin Abil-Huqaiq. He was also known as Sallaam bin Abil-Huqaiq. He
lived in a fortress in Khaybar.
He was a bitter enemy of Rasulullah  and he devised varied methods
of harassing Rasulullah . He was a staunch supporter and collaborator of
K‘ab bin Ashraf. This was the same vile man who incited the Quraysh of Makkah
against the Muslims in the battle of Ahzaab. He provided great financial assistance
to the Quraysh of Makkah. He was forever willing to spend his wealth in pursuit of
his aggressive hostility against Rasulullah  and the Muslims.
Chapter 14 289
The assassins of K‘ab bin Ashraf were Muhammad bin Maslamah  and
his companions. Since all of them hailed from the Aws tribe, the people of the
Khazraj reasoned that the people of the Aws tribe acquired the honour of
eliminating a bitter enemy and a blasphemous rascal like K‘ab bin Ashraf, so why
should they not get rid of the other blasphemous and insolent instigator, Abu Raaf’i
and thereby also acquire this privilege of honour in both the worlds?
Subsequently, they appeared before Rasulullah  and requested
permission to eliminate Abu Raaf’i from this world. Rasulullah 
sanctioned his assassination.
Rasulullah  despatched the following Sahaabah  to kill Abu
Raaf‘i: ‘Abdullah bin ‘Atik, Mas’ood bin Sinaan, ‘Abdullah bin Unais, Abu
Qataadah Haaris bin Rib‘i and Khuzaa‘i bin Aswad and he appointed ‘Abdullah bin
‘Atik as their Ameer (leader). Before they set out, Rasulullah  stressed
upon them not to kill a woman or child.
Towards the middle of Jumaadal-Ukhraa, in 3 A.H., ‘Abdullah bin ‘Atik set out
for Khaybar in the company of his companions.
This group of Sahaabah  landed in Khaybar after sunset when the
people had returned home with their animals. As the fortress of Abu Raaf‘i drew
closer, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Atik  told his companions: “Why don’t all of you wait
here. I will hatch a plan to penetrate the fortress.” When he drew close to the door
of the fortress, he covered himself up and sat down as though relieving himself.
The doorkeeper, imagining him to be one of their people, called out: “O servant of
Allah! If you are coming inside, you better come quickly because I am about to shut
the door.”
‘Abdullah bin ‘Atik  continues: “Without further ado, I slipped in and
hid in a corner. Abu Raaf‘i lived on the upper floor.
Every night they would be entertained with story telling. When the session for
that night ended, the occupants of the fortress returned to their respective homes
and the doorkeeper locked all the doors and hung the ring of keys on a peg.
When I determined that all of them had fallen asleep, I crept out of my hiding
place, got hold of the keys hanging on the peg and went along opening the doors
leading to the upper floor. As I passed through each door, I would lock it from the
inside so that even if people got wind of my presence, I will still be able to
accomplish my mission.
As I reached the upper floor, it was extremely dark and Abu Raaf‘i was fast
asleep with his wife and children. I had no idea whatsoever where exactly he was
sleeping. So I called out softly: “Abu Raaf‘i! Abu Raaf‘i!” He asked: “Who’s there!”
Full of apprehension, I lunged with my sword in the direction of the sound but to
no avail. Abu Raaf‘i let out a shriek of terror. A little while later, I altered my voice
and in a sympathetic tone asked: “Abu Raaf‘i, what sound is that? What is the
problem?” In a terrified voice he replied: “Someone attacked me with a sword just
now.” He barely uttered this when I attacked him a second time that left him
seriously wounded. I then placed the tip of the sword on his stomach and pressed it
down with such force that it reached his spine. When I was convinced that this
would finish him off, I turned around the way I had come, opening each door as I
went along. As I was climbing down the stairs, I thought that I was close to the
ground and misjudged the stairs. I fell down breaking my shinbone in the process.
It was a moonlit night. I unwound my turban and wrapped it securely around my
calf. As I reached my companions, I urged them to set off and convey the good
news to Rasulullah  and added: ‘I will wait here until I hear some
announcement of his assassination.’
As dawn broke out with the roosters crowing, a caller mounted the rampart of
the fortress and made a public announcement of his death. Only then did I set forth
and join my friends. I appealed to them: ‘Come on, faster. Allah Ta’ala has
eliminated Abu Raaf‘i.’
From there we proceeded straight to Rasulullah  and shared the glad
tidings with him. I then went on to describe the full details of this mission.
Rasulullah  asked me to stretch out my leg. When I extended my leg, he
rubbed his blessed hand over it. After this, I felt as though nothing had ever
afflicted my shin.”
Chapter 15
The Battle of Uhud - Shawwaal 3 A.H.
ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ْ
MN‫ﲔ ﻣ ﻘﺎﻋ ﺪ ﻟﻠﻘﺘﺎل‬
‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺆ‬‫ئ اﻟ ﻤ‬
‫ﻚ ﺗﺒ ﻮ‬
‫ت ﻣ ْﻦ اﻫﻠ‬
‫و اذ ﻏ ﺪ ْو‬

“And remember when you (O Muhammad!) left your family in the morning
organising the believers for battle.”
When the Quraysh returned woefully beaten back to Makkah, they discovered that
the trade caravan which Abu Sufyaan managed to keep safe by slipping away onto
the coastal route, its capital and profit was secure in Daarun-Nadwah. All of them
suffered the anguish of the woeful defeat and humiliating thrashing of Badr but
those who lost their fathers, brothers, nephews and other close relatives in Badr
were particularly overwhelmed with a concentrated fervour. Their hearts were
brimming with a raging passion for rapid revenge.
Eventually, Abu Sufyaan bin Harb, ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi‘ah, ‘Ikramah bin
Abi Jahal, Haaris bin Hishaam, Huwaytib bin ‘Abdul-’Uzza, Safwaan bin Umayyah
and other leading members of the Quraysh convened a special meeting in which
they proposed that the capital amount of the trade caravan which is still held in
trust be distributed to the respective shareholders and the entire profit be used in
preparation for war against Muhammad (). This, they advocated, would
settle the score with the Muslims who killed our fathers, brothers, relatives and
leaders in Badr. In one voice, all of the attendants of this meeting enthusiastically
approved this proposal. Subsequently, the profits of this trade expedition, which
amounted to about fifty thousand Dinaars (gold coins) were set aside for this
purpose.
In this regard, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse:
291
ْ ‫ ﻓﺴﻴ ۡﻨﻔﻘ ۡﻮﻧﻬﺎ ﺛﻢ ﺗﻜ ۡﻮن ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬M ‫ﻦ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ‬

$ ۡ ‫ ﻟﻴﺼﺪ ۡوا ﻋ‬$ ْ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﻛﻔﺮ ۡوا ﻳ ۡﻨﻔﻘ ۡﻮن ا ْﻣﻮاﻟ‬
‫ا ن‬

ْ
ÉN ‫ﺣ ْﺴﺮةً ﺛﻢ ﻳﻐ ﻠﺒ ۡﻮن‬

“Verily the disbelievers who spend their wealth to prevent from the path of Allah,
they will spend (more) of it and then it will be (a source) of despair against them.
Then they will be vanquished.” [Surah Anfaal verse 36]
Quraysh Taking the Womenfolk Along

The Quraysh made frantic preparations for this expedition. They also elected to
take some women along to sing poems to rouse the courage of the warriors and to
kindle the shame of the deserters. Furthermore, out of fear of the women being
dishonoured, the warriors were prone to fight with more valour and they would
not consider retreating as easily.
The Quraysh despatched messengers to the various tribes inviting them to
display their bravery and valour. In this manner, they amassed a force of three
thousand people including seven hundred well-armoured warriors. They had two
hundred horses, three thousand camels and fifteen women with them. This
imposing army set out from Makkah with great splendour and majestic grandeur
under the command of Abu Sufyaan on the 5th of Shawwaal 3 A.H.
‘Abbaas  Notifies Rasulullah  of the Quraysh’s

Plan
Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  made a comprehensive note of these details and forwarded
it to Rasulullah  with a high-speed messenger. He also stressed upon him
to make sure he gets this message to Rasulullah  somehow or the other
within three days.
Rasulullah  Consulting the Sahaabah 
The moment Rasulullah  received this intelligence, he despatched Anas

 and Munis  to acquire additional information about the Quraysh.
They returned and informed Rasulullah  that the Qurayshi army was
almost upon Madinah. Thereafter, Rasulullah  sent Habbaab bin Munzir
 to determine the number of people in the army. He returned and provided
an accurate estimate to Rasulullah .
Chapter 15 293
All night long, S‘ad bin Mu’aaz , Usaid bin Hudhair  and S‘ad bin
‘Ubaadah  were on guard in Masjidun-Nabawi and sentinels were posted all
around the town as well.
This occurred on Friday night. The next morning, Rasulullah 
consulted the Sahaabah  and invited them to express their opinions. The
senior Muhaajireen and Ansaar proposed that the Muslims engage the enemy
whilst taking refuge within the boundaries of the city. However, the younger
Sahaabah , who were unable to participate in Badr and were ardently
enthusiastic to drink from the cup of martyrdom, suggested that they attack the
enemy outside Madinah.
After giving them all a hearing Rasulullah  said: “I saw a dream
wherein I was dressed in a strong impregnable armour whilst a cow was being
slaughtered nearby. I interpret this dream to mean that Madinah is this
impregnable armour whilst the slaughter of the cow suggests that some of my
Sahaabah  will soon die as martyrs. So, my suggestion is that we engage the
enemy whilst taking refuge in Madinah.”
Rasulullah  continues: “I also saw in a dream that as I shook my
sword, its tip broke and fell off. I then shook the sword once again and it
transformed itself into a better sword than what it was previously. The
interpretation of this dream is that the Sahaabah  are like the sword, which
would strike the enemy. Taking the Sahaabah  into battle is like shaking the
sword. When I shook it the first time i.e. in the battle of Uhud, the tip of the sword
broke off. In other words, some of the Sahaabah  will be killed as martyrs.
Thereafter the sword was employed in another battle and it turned out to be far
better and sharper and was used much more liberally on the enemy.”
Since ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites, was a talented and
experienced man in such affairs, he was also consulted. He said: “Past experience
will attest to the fact that whenever an enemy attacked Madinah and the residents
of Madinah confronted the enemy within the boundaries of the city, the Madanis
triumphed. On the contrary, whenever they challenged the enemy on the outside,
they were defeated. O Rasulullah! Do not step out of the boundaries of the city. By
Allah! Whenever we stepped out of Madinah we were subject to a great deal of
suffering at the hands of the enemy and when the enemy launched an attack upon
us whilst we took up a defensive position within the boundaries of Madinah, the
enemy suffered a dreadful thrashing at our hands. Why don’t you blockade and
fortify the entire city and if, per chance, the enemy somehow manages to breach
this blockade, the men will confront them with swords whilst the women and
children will rain down volleys of stones upon them. And if the enemy retreats
disappointed without penetrating the city, then the objective is fulfilled.”
Nonetheless, some of the senior Sahaabah  also joined the ranks of the
younger Sahaabah  and insisted even further that the enemy be engaged out
of the city of Madinah. They said: “O Rasulullah! We were eagerly expecting such a
day and we begged Allah Ta’ala to show us this day soon. Now Allah Ta’ala has
given us the chance and the journey is also a short one.”
Hadhrat Hamzah , S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  and Nu’maan bin Maalik
 said: “O Rasulullah ! If we defend ourselves whilst holed up within
the boundaries of the Madinah, our enemy will disdainfully regard us as weak
cowards in the path of Allah Ta’ala.”
Hadhrat Hamzah  said:
َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َّ َ
َ ‫ك الْك َِت‬
‫ اطعم الوم طعاما حت اجادلهم بسيف‬O ‫اب‬ ‫والِي انزل علي‬
‫خارج المدينة‬
“I swear by the Being Who has revealed the book upon you! I will not eat until I
have engaged the enemy with my sword out of Madinah.”
Nu’maan bin Maalik Ansaari  said:
ّٰ ُ ‫يا‬
‫دخلن النة‬O ‫ فوالي بعثك بالق‬، ‫ ترمنا النة‬O 4‫رسول ا‬
“O Rasulullah! We beg of you not to deprive us of this opportunity to enter Jannah. I
swear by the Being Who has sent you with the truth! I will surely enter Jannah.”
Rasulullah  asked: “On what grounds?” Nu’maan  replied:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ افر لوم الزحف‬O‫ و‬4‫ وانك رسول ا‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ن اشهد ان‬O
“Owing to the fact that I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and
that you are His messenger and also due to the fact that I am not prone to flee from
the battlefield.”
According to another narration, he said:
ّٰ
‫ ورسول‬4‫ن احب ا‬O
“Owing to the fact that I love Allah and His Rasool.”
To this Rasulullah  remarked: “You have spoken the truth.”
When Rasulullah  noticed the enthusiasm of the devotees of Jannah,
i.e. the younger Sahaabah , to fight out of Madinah and when he detected a
similar passion for martyrdom from some of the senior Muhaajireen and Ansaar
like Hadhrat Hamzah  and S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah , then Rasulullah
 also elected to do the same.
Chapter 15 295
This happened on Friday. After the Jumu‘ah Salaah, Rasulullah 

delivered a sermon in which he aroused their enthusiasm for Jihaad and charged
them to prepare for battle.
The moment the sincere devotees, the dear lovers, the earnest worshippers and
those who were keen to meet Allah Ta’ala heard this, it was as though a new spark
of life was infused within their souls and they deduced that now the time had
, ,
finally arrived for their liberation from the ‘jail’ of this world.

U# c# p Wo " c+ Um
, st
U# cVG v" r u cG q
Blessed be the day when I am to depart from this desolate place; When I will be at
ease in front of my beloved.
Rasulullah’s  Preparation and Donning the Armour
Following the performance of ‘Asr Salaah, Rasulullah  went into his

room accompanied by Saahibain (his two closest companions who would
accompany him in this world, in the realm of Barzakh, on the field of resurrection,
at the fountain of Kawthar and in Jannah – Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar .)
Rasulullah  had not emerged from the room as yet when S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  and Usaid bin Hudhair  addressed the people and said: “You
compelled Rasulullah  to go out of the city and engage the enemy
whereas divine revelation of Allah Ta’ala continues to descend upon him. Perhaps
it would be most appropriate to leave this decision solely up to him. “In the
meantime, Rasulullah  emerged clad in two suits of armour. Startled, the
Sahaabah  said: “O Rasulullah ! We slipped up by insisting on a
proposal that was entirely against your blessed opinion. This was undeniably
inappropriate and unseemly for us. Please do whatever you deem fit.”
To this Rasulullah  replied: “It is not permissible for a Nabi to arm
himself in preparation for war and subsequently remove his armour without
engaging the enemy of Allah in war. Now I urge you to take the name of Allah and
set forth and do as I command you to do. And remember if you adopt resoluteness
and patience, you will certainly enjoy divine assistance and victory.”
Rasulullah’s  Departure and Inspection of his Forces
On Friday, the eleventh of Shawwaal, after ‘Asr Salaah, Rasulullah  set

out from Madinah in the company of one thousand men. Rasulullah  was
mounted on a horse with S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  and S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  in
full armour walking ahead of him whilst the rest of the Muslims were walking to
his right and left.
As he reached the outskirts of Madinah at a place called Shaykhayn,
Rasulullah  made a careful inspection of the army. The very young
amongst them were sent back home. Some of these boys who were sent back were:
1. Usaamah bin Zaid 
2. Zaid bin Thaabit 
3. Abu Sa’eed Khudri 
4. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar 
5. Usaid bin Zuhair 
6. ‘Iraabah bin Aws 
7. Baraa bin ‘Aazib 
8. Zaid bin Arqam 
Imaam Shaafi’ee  says: “Seventeen young Sahaabah , all of whom were
fourteen years of age, were presented to Rasulullah . Rasulullah
 declared them to be immature and sent them back home. A year later,
when they were fifteen, he permitted them to join the ranks of the warriors.”
Raaf‘i bin Khadeej  was also amongst these youngsters who were
presented to Rasulullah . He was smart enough to stand on the tips of his
feet to appear far taller than his age. Rasulullah  permitted him to join
the army. It is also said that he was a well-skilled archer.
Samurah bin Jundub  was one of the children who was refused by
Rasulullah . With an expression of deep sorrow, he lamented before his
stepfather, Muri bin Sinaan : “O father! Raaf‘i (who is my contemporary) is
permitted to join the army whilst I get left behind? I am far stronger than him and I
am certain that I will overpower him in wrestling.”
Muri bin Sinaan  went up to Rasulullah  and submitted: “O
Rasulullah! You allowed Raaf‘i to participate and sent my son Samurah back
whereas Samurah will surely be able to wrestle him to the ground.”
Rasulullah  then called on both the youngsters to match their
capabilities in wrestling. When Samurah prevailed, Rasulullah  permitted
him as well.
Young and old, child or adult, every single one of them was intoxicated with
the spirit of self-sacrifice. Well before they were actually martyred, they were
martyred by the sword of submission.
Chapter 15 297
Disengagement and Return of the Hypocrites

As Rasulullah  got closer to Uhud, the chief of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah
bin Ubayy bin Salool, who came with a group of three hundred decided to turn
back saying: “You disregarded my advice. Why should we now throw ourselves
into danger needlessly? This is certainly not a war. If we believed this to be war,
we would have unquestionably joined you.”
In regards to such people, the following verses were revealed:
ً ْ ْ ‫ ﺗﻌﺎﻟ ْﻮا ﻗﺎﺗﻠ ۡﻮا ﰲۡ ﺳﺒ ۡﻴﻞ اﷲ او‬$ ۡ N ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﻧﺎﻓﻘ ۡﻮا‬ ْ

‫ ﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ﻟ ْﻮ ﻧﻌ ﻠﻢ ﻗﺘﺎﻻ ﻻ‬M ‫ادﻓﻌ ۡﻮا‬
ْ
‫ﻞ ﻟ‬ ‫ وﻗﻴ‬Ê ‫وﻟ ﻴﻌ ﻠ ﻢ‬

M$ْ ‫ ﻣﺎ ﻟ'ۡﺲ ﰲۡ ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑ‬$ ۡ ‫ ﻟ ۡﻼﻳۡﻤﺎن ﻳﻘ ۡﻮﻟ ۡﻮن ﺑﺎﻓْﻮاﻫ‬$ ْ ‫ ﻫ ْﻢ ﻟ ْﻠﻜ ْﻔﺮ ﻳ ْﻮﻣﺬ اﻗْﺮب ﻣ ْﻨ‬M ‫اﺗﺒ ْﻌ ٰﻨﻜ ْﻢ‬
ٍ

ْ ْ
﴾۱۶۷ۚ ﴿ ‫واﷲ اﻋ ﻠﻢ ﺑ ﻤﺎ ﻳﻜﺘ ﻤ ۡﻮن‬

“And that He may test the hypocrites, it was said to them: ‘Come, fight in the path
of Allah or (at least) defend (yourselves)’. They replied: ‘Had we known that
fighting would take place, we would certainly have followed you.’ They were that
day, closer to disbelief than to faith, saying with their mouths that which was not in
their hearts. And Allah is most knowledgeable of that which they conceal.”
[Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 167]
Subsequently only seven hundred Sahaabah  were left with Rasulullah
, of which only one hundred were dressed in body armour. The whole
army had just two horses; one for Rasulullah  and the other belonged to
Abu Burdah bin Niyaar Haarisi .
The Banu Salmah of the Khazraj tribe and the Banu Haarisah of the Aws tribe
also got afraid and like ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, were a bit reluctant to forge ahead in
battle. They were almost on the point of deciding to turn back but divine guidance
intervened and they did not return. Both these tribes were commanding the two
outer flanks of the Muslim army.
In regards to these people, the following verse was revealed:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ
﴾۱۲۲﴿ ‫ﻞ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮن‬X ‫ اﷲ ﻓﻠﻴﺘﻮ‬¤ ‫ وﻋ‬MN‫ واﷲ وﻟ ﻴ ﻬ ﻤﺎ‬ºN‫ﻜ ْﻢ ان ﺗﻔ ﺸ ﻼ‬
‫اذ ﻫ ﻤﺖ ﻃﺂ ﻔ ٰﺘﻦ ﻣﻨ‬

“Remember when two groups from amongst you almost lost heart but Allah is their
Wali (protector and supporter) and upon Allah should the believers place their
trust.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 122]
Whilst Rasulullah  was in Shaykhayn, the sun had set and Hadhrat Bilal
 called out the Azaan. Rasulullah  performed his Maghrib Salaah
here and spent the night here as well. Muhammad bin Maslamah  kept guard
all night long. Periodically he would go on a round of patrol and return to

Rasulullah’s  tent where he would stand sentry.
Towards the latter part of the night, Rasulullah  set off and as he
drew closer to Uhud, the time for Fajr Salaah set in. Rasulullah 
instructed Hadhrat Bilal  to call out the Azaan. Hadhrat Bilal  called
out the Azaan followed by the Iqaamah. Thereafter, Rasulullah  led his
Sahaabah  in Salaah.
Drawing up the Battle Lines

Subsequent to the performance of his Salaah, Rasulullah  directed his
attention towards the army. Facing Madinah with Uhud behind him, Rasulullah
 drew up the battle lines. These columns of saintly souls who prior to this
were standing humbly before Allah Ta’ala were now standing to sacrifice their
lives in His path of Jihaad.
Baraa bin ‘Aazib  narrates: “Rasulullah  positioned a division
of fifty archers at the back of Mount Uhud to prevent any attack by the Quraysh
from this direction. He appointed ‘Abdullah bin Jubair  as their commander
and sternly warned them: “Do not move from this point even if you notice us
prevailing over the disbelievers and even if you catch sight of the disbelievers
overpowering us, do not ever abandon your positions and do not come to assist us.”
Rasulullah  forewarned them: “Even if you catch sight of us being
picked apart by birds, then too do not move from this position. Remain here and
protect us from the rear and even if you witness us being massacred, do not leave
your positions to assist us. If you happen to see us gathering the war booty, then
too stay where you are and do not dare join us.”
Condition of the Quraysh Army

The Quraysh army had already reached the environs of Madinah on Wednesday
and set up camp at the foot of Mount Uhud. They numbered a daunting force of
three thousand strong including seven hundred armour-clad warriors. They had
two hundred horses and three thousand camels. Accompanying them were the
wives of the noblemen of Makkah, who roused the fighting spirit of the warriors
with the recitation of provocative poetry. This is the behaviour expected of the
hedonistic and shaytaanic miscreants. Allah Ta’ala forbid!
Some of these women were:
1. Hindah bint ‘Utbah – wife of Abu Sufyaan and Hadhrat Mu’aawiyah’s mother.
2. Umme Hakeem bint Haaris bin Hishaam – wife of ‘Ikramah bin Abu Jahal.
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3. Faatimah bint Waleed –wife of Haaris bin Hishaam.

4. Barzah bint Mas’ood – wife of Safwaan bin Umayyah.
5. Raytah bint Shaybah – wife of ‘Amr bin ‘Aas.
6. Salafah bint S‘ad – wife of Talhah bin Abi Talhah Jumahi.
7. Khannas bint Maalik – mother of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umayr .
8. ‘Amrah bint ‘Alqamah.
‘Allaamah Zarqaani says: “Besides Khannas and ‘Amrah, the rest of these women
later embraced Islam.”
The Quraysh appointed Khaalid bin Waleed as a commander of the right flank,
‘Ikramah bin Abi Jahal as commander of the left flank, Safwaan bin Umayyah or
‘Amr bin ‘Aas as commander of the infantry and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah as
commander of the archers. All five officers later embraced Islam.
Rasulullah  Addressing the Troops
As the opposing parties drew their battle lines, Rasulullah , grasping a

sword in his hand, addressed the Sahaabah  and asked:
‫من يأخذ هذا السيف بقه‬

“Who will take this sword with its due right?”
On hearing this, a number of hands reached out to acquire this noble boon but
Rasulullah  held back. In the meantime, Abu Dujaanah  stepped
ahead and asked: “What is the right of this sword, O Rasulullah!” Rasulullah
 replied: “The right of this sword is that it be used to strike the enemies of
Allah until they are overwhelmed.”
According to another narration, Rasulullah  said: “The right of this
sword is that it is not to be used to kill a Muslim and that a person does not take
flight when engaging the disbelievers with this sword.”
Abu Dujaanah  said: “O Rasulullah ! I will take this sword
with its due right.” In other words, “I will endeavour to fulfil its right.” Rasulullah
 promptly handed over the sword to Abu Dujaanah .
In all probability, on the basis of divine revelation, Rasulullah 
ascertained that nobody but Abu Dujaanah  would fulfil the right of this
sword. This is why he surrendered it to Abu Dujaanah  specifically. And
Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Note: Abu Dujaanah  was a gallant, dauntless and brave warrior. During
the heat of battle, he would take on a distinctive parade and be overwhelmed with
an extraordinary degree of arduous passion. Whilst engaging the enemy, he would

don his red ‘Imaamah (turban) and stride with a charming grace. Perhaps this is
why Rasulullah  handed the sword over to him as evidenced by his
future skills as a warrior.
The Launch of the Battle and the Killing of the Leading

Qurayshi Contenders
From the side of the Quraysh, the first person to stride onto the battlefield was Abu
‘Aamir who was the leader of the Aws tribe (of Madinah) during the pre-Islamic
times of ignorance and due to his devoutness and religiousness, was famously
known as Raahib (the pope). When the glow of Islam radiated in Madinah, he was
unable to stomach this appealing sight and he left Madinah to settle down in
Makkah. Instead of Raahib, Rasulullah  named him Faasiq (criminal).
This Faasiq came to Makkah and inflamed the Quraysh to take up arms
against Rasulullah  and he himself joined the Quraysh in this campaign
of Uhud. He led them to believe that when the people of Aws catch sight of him,
they would willingly desert Rasulullah  and join forces with him.
The first contestant:

In the frontline of Uhud, this same Abu ‘Aamir, stepped out as the first challenger
and as he swaggered onto the battlefield, he bellowed:
‫وس انا ابو عمر‬O‫يا معش ا‬

“O people of Aws! I am Abu ‘Aamir.”
May Allah Ta’ala cool the eyes of the Aws tribe, who promptly responded:
ّٰ
‫ بك عينا يا فاسق‬4‫ انعم ا‬O
“O Faasiq! May Allah never cool your eyes.”
On hearing this mortifying response, Abu ‘Aamir rapidly retreated, unsuccessful in
his endeavours and exclaimed: “After I left them, my people have turned for the
worse.”
The second contestant:

He was followed onto the battlefield by the flag-bearer of the disbelievers, Talhah
bin Abi Talhah and with an air of arrogance, he challenged:
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“O companions of Muhammad! You believe that Allah Ta’ala would promptly

despatch us into hell with the aid of your swords whilst He would swiftly admit
you with the aid of our swords into paradise. So, is there anyone from amongst you
who would like to be swiftly admitted into paradise with my sword or whose
sword would promptly despatch me to hell?”
On hearing this, Hadhrat Ali  strode forth and engaged him in a
swordfight. Hadhrat Ali  delivered a slicing blow to his leg and he fell face
down to the ground exposing his Satar (privates). Overcome with shame, Hadhrat
Ali  stepped back. Rasulullah  asked: “O Ali! What made you
withdraw?” He replied: “At the uncovering of his Satar, I was overcome with
shame.”
Hadhrat Ali  then smote him on his head so severely that his head split
into two.
This delighted Rasulullah  and he cheered by exclaiming: “Allahu
Akbar!” The Muslims also chanted exclamations of Allahu Akbar!
The third contestant:

Thereafter, ‘Usmaan bin Abi Talhah, grasping the flag of the disbelievers, stepped
forth onto the battlefield, reciting the following inflammatory stanza:
َّ ۡ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ
‫الص ۡع َدة او تن َدقا‬ ‫ان تضب‬ ‫ا ِن < اهل اللواء َحقا‬
“It is an obligation upon the flag-bearer to ensure that his spear is tinted with the
blood of the enemy or it breaks into pieces.”
In response, Hadhrat Hamzah  strode up and attacked him, severing both his
arms at the shoulders. The flag fell and in an instant he was no more.
The fourth contestant:

Thereafter, the flag was taken up by Abu S‘ad bin Abi Talhah. S‘ad bin Abi
Waqqaas  discharged an arrow towards him. It pierced his neck with such
force that his tongue was pushed out of his mouth. S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas 
then promptly finished him off.
The fifth contestant:

Thereafter the flag was taken up by Musaf‘i bin Talhah bin Abi Talhah. With just
one blow, Hadhrat ‘Aasim bin Saabit  put him to death.
The sixth contestant:

The flag was then hoisted by Haaris bin Talhah bin Abi Talhah. He too was
finished off with just one blow by Hadhrat ‘Aasim bin Saabit . Some
historians say that he was killed by Hadhrat Zubair .
The seventh contestant:

Kilaab bin Talhah bin Abi Talhah then stepped out with the flag. Hadhrat Zubair
 stepped ahead and did away with him.
The eighth contestant:

Thereafter the flag was taken up by Julaas bin Talhah bin Abi Talhah. The moment
he stepped out, Hadhrat Talhah  finished him off.
The ninth contestant:

The flag was then taken up by Artaat Shurahbil. Hadhrat Ali  swiftly
eliminated him.
The tenth contestant:

Shuraih bin Qaariz then took up the flag and strode out. He too was
instantaneously finished off. The killer of Shuraih could not be ascertained.
The eleventh contestant:

Therafter, their slave by the name of Suwaab stepped out holding the flag. Either
Hadhrat S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  or Hadhrat Hamzah  or Hadhrat Ali
 – according to conflicting narrations – finished him off too.
In this manner, twenty-two chieftains of the Quraysh were eliminated.
The Valour of Abu Dujaanah 
Abu Dujaanah , to whom Rasulullah  conferred his blessed sword,

was a dauntless and gallant warrior. Firstly, he produced a red ‘Imaamah (turban)
and tied it onto his head. He then paraded onto the battlefield reciting the
following stanzas:
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‫خ ۡي ِل‬ َّ ‫الس ۡفحِ َ َلى‬

ِ ‫ال‬
َۡ َ
َّ ‫ن ُن ب‬
ِ ‫و‬ ۡ ِ ‫اَنَا َّالِي َعه َد‬
ۡ‫ن َخلِ ۡي ِل‬
“I am the one from whom my Khalil (beloved whose love has penetrated every fibre
of my being, i.e. Rasulullah ) had taken a pledge whilst we were at the
foot of the mountain close to the date orchard.
ّٰ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ۡ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ
‫الر ُس ۡو ِل‬
َّ ‫ِ َو‬4‫ا‬ ‫ض ُب ب ِ َس ۡي ِف‬
ِ ‫ا‬ ‫اله َر ِف الك ُي ۡو ِل‬ ‫ اقوم‬O ‫ان‬
The pledge was that I would never stand within the ranks of the rear and I would
continue engaging the enemy with the sword of Allah and His Rasool.”
When Rasulullah  caught sight of Abu Dujaanah  swaggering in
this manner he commented: “Allah abhors such a gait except on such occasions.”
In other words, when engaging the enemy, this (pride) is for the sake of Allah
Ta’ala and His Rasool  and not for selfish reasons of pride and arrogance.
Tearing through the ranks of the enemy, whoever Abu Dujaanah  came
across would fall dead to the ground. He ploughed ahead until Hindah, the wife of
Abu Sufyaan, confronted him. Abu Dujaanah  raised his sword to strike her
but restrained himself thinking that it was downright unbecoming of to him to use
Rasulullah’s  sword against a woman.
According to another narration, when Abu Dujaanah  drew close to
Hindah, she screeched for help but nobody came to her assistance. Abu Dujaanah
 says: “At that time I felt it rather indecent to test the sword of Rasulullah
 on a vulnerable and helpless woman.”
Valour and Martyrdom of Hadhrat Hamzah 
The dauntless array of attacks launched by Hadhrat Hamzah  subdued the

disbelievers into a state of overwhelming panic. The instant he raised his sword
upon anyone, the next instant his body would fall to the ground.
Wahshi bin Harb was the slave of Jubair bin Mut‘im. During the battle of
Badr, Jubair’s uncle Tu‘aymah bin ‘Adi was slain by Hadhrat Hamzah .
Jubair was heartbroken at the death of his uncle. Jubair promised Wahshi that if he
killed Hamzah in revenge for his uncle, he would set him free. When the Quraysh
set out for the battle of Uhud, Wahshi also accompanied them.
As the opposing parties formed their ranks at Uhud and the battle got
underway, Sib‘a bin ‘Abdul-’Uzza swaggered onto the battlefield yelling: “Is there
anyone who dares to challenge me?”
Heading up towards him, Hadhrat Hamzah  replied: “O Sib‘a! O son of
the woman who specialises in female circumcision! How dare you brazenly defy
Allah and His Rasool?” Saying this, Hadhrat Hamzah  attacked him with his
sword and in just a single thrust, he promptly despatched him to his death.
Meanwhile, Wahshi hid himself behind a boulder lying in ambush for Hadhrat
Hamzah . The moment Hadhrat Hamzah  passed by, he struck him on
his back with such force that his spear penetrated through his abdomen emerging
at his navel. Hadhrat Hamzah  managed tottering a few steps but eventually
succumbed to his injury and ‘drank from the cup of martyrdom’.
Wahshi relates: “When I reached Makkah, I was set free (as promised). I
accompanied the Quraysh with the sole objective of assassinating Hadhrat Hamzah
. I had absolutely no intention to take part in the actual battle”.
He further relates: “After I killed Hamzah, I detached myself from the army
and sat down away from the fighting because I had no other intention. I joined
them purely with the intention of securing my freedom by assassinating Hamzah
.”
Note: Following the conquest of Makkah, Wahshi accompanied the delegation
of Taaif to Madinah with the intention of embracing Islam. When the people
caught sight of him, they exclaimed: “O Rasulullah! This is Wahshi.” In other
words, this is the killer of your beloved uncle.
To this, Rasulullah  replied:
‫م رجل واحد احب ا¯ من قتل الف كفر‬K‫س‬K‫دعوه ف‬

“Let him be because the Islam of just one person is more dear to me than the
elimination of a thousand disbelievers.”
Thereafter, Rasulullah  requested Wahshi to give an account of the
assassination of Hadhrat Hamzah . With extreme shame and intense
embarrassment, in fulfillment of the command of Rasulullah , he
narrated the incident of his assassination of Hadhrat Hamzah . Rasulullah
 then accepted his Islam but added: “If possible, avoid appearing before
me because the death of my uncle is revived whenever I lay eyes on you.”
Since Wahshi  had no intention of harassing Rasulullah , he
would sit behind him (or at the back). Wahshi  was ceaselessly concerned
about making amends. In compensation for his assassination of Hadhrat Hamzah
, with the same spear he despatched to Jahannam Musaylamah Kazzaab (the
impostor) who claimed prophethood after the death of Rasulullah .
Just as he had martyred Hadhrat Hamzah  by impaling his navel,
similarly, he killed Musaylamah Kazzaab also by stabbing him through his navel.
In this manner, for killing the best of people, he made amends by slaying the worst
of people.
People would ask him, “Are you the one who killed Hamzah?” He would reply:
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ّٰ
‫ الي اكرمه بيدي ولم يهن بيده‬4 ‫نعم والمد‬
“Yes, and praise be to Allah Who has honoured Hamzah with martyrdom at my
hands without humiliating me at his hands.”
In other words, if Wahshi  was killed by Hadhrat Hamzah , he would
have died in a state if kufr (disbelief) and there is no humiliation worse than kufr.
Wahshi  further relates: “Thereafter Rasulullah  said: ‘O
Wahshi! Go! Proceed to fight in the path of Allah just as you used to fight to hinder
others from the path of Allah.’”
Martyrdom of Hanzalah, Ghaseelul-Malaa’ikah 
Hadhrat Hanzalah  also accompanied Rasulullah  on this

campaign.
Abu Sufyaan and Hadhrat Hanzalah  clashed with one another in a
fierce swordfight. Hadhrat Hanzalah sprang forward to strike Abu Sufyaan but
Shaddaad bin Aws fatally attacked him from the rear rendering him a Shaheed.
On this occasion, Rasulullah  remarked: “I witnessed the angels
bathing Hanzalah  with pure hail water from silver goblets.”
Upon enquiry from his wife, it was learnt that he had set out for Jihaad in the
state of Janaabat and he was martyred in this state.
The wife of Hadhrat Hanzalah  saw a dream the night preceding his
martydom that a door had opened from the heavens and Hadhrat Hanzalah 
had entered there. As soon as he entered, the door closed. His wife understood from
this dream that Hanzalah  was about to leave this world.
On the termination of the battle, water was seen dripping down from his body.
This is why he was eminently known as Ghaseelul-Malaa’ikah (the one bathed
by the angels).
Since Hanzalah’s  father Abu ‘Aamir was fighting against Rasulullah
, Hadhrat Hanzalah  sought Rasulullah’s  permission to
assassinate his own father but Rasulullah  prohibited him.
These dauntless assaults and valiant attacks of the Muslims brought the
Qurayshi resistance to their knees on the battlefield leaving them turning their
backs and scurrying about for cover. Struck with chilling anxiety, the ladies also
fled towards the mountains whilst the Muslims busied themselves in amassing the
war-booty.
Muslims Archers Abandoning Positions and the Reversal of the

War-Scales
When the group of archers who were appointed to guard the rear mountain pass
noticed the victory of the Muslims and their subsequent amassing of the war booty,
they also decided to abandon their positions and dash forth. Their Ameer ‘Abdullah
bin Jubair  repeatedly pleaded with them not to abandon their positions and
reminded them about Rasulullah’s  emphatic order about not leaving
their positions under any circumstances whatsoever. However, these people refused
to take heed and they deserted their positions and proceeded to collect the booty.
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin Jubair  and His Ten

Companions
Thus only ‘Abdullah bin Jubair  and ten companions were left at this tactical
position. Since the Muslims refused to comply with the wishes of Rasulullah
, the victory swiftly turned into defeat. When Khaalid bin Waleed, who
was with the right flank of the Mushrikeen, caught sight of the vulnerable pass, he
attacked from the rear. This attack rendered ‘Abdullah bin Jubair  and ten of
his companions as martyrs.
Martyrdom of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair 
This surprisingly sudden and unexpected attack by the disbelievers left the ranks of
the Muslims in bewilderment and the enemy managed to draw threateningly close
to Rasulullah .
The flag-bearer of the Muslims, Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  was standing close
to Rasulullah . He valiantly tackled the disbelievers in the defence of
Rasulullah  until he himself was martyred. Thereafter, Rasulullah
 consigned the flag to Hadhrat Ali .
Since Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  closely resembled Rasulullah , a
certain shaytaan circulated a rumour that Rasulullah , the target of the
disbelievers, was martyred. Immediately, a gloomy mood of bewilderment and
apprehension spread throughout the Muslim ranks. The moment they heard this
harrowing news, they lost their senses and fell into a state of panic. In this state of
panic, they were unable to differentiate between friend and foe and they started
attacking one another.
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Huzaifah’s Father is Erroneously Martyred by the Muslims

Hadhrat Huzaifah’s  father Yamaan  was also caught up in this state of
chaos. From a distance, Huzaifah  caught sight of his father coming under
attack from the Muslims. He yelled at them: “O servants of Allah! That is my
father.” But who could have heard him in this state of utter chaos and they
eventually killed him. When the Muslims learnt that they erroneously killed
Huzaifah’s  father, they were dreadfully ashamed and in a tone of downright
remorse said: “By Allah, we failed to recognise him.”
Hadhrat Huzaifah  remarked:
َ ۡ‫ح‬ ُ َ ُ ّٰ ُ ۡ َ
ّٰ ‫ َو ُه َو ا َ ۡر َح ُم‬، ‫ك ۡم‬
‫ي‬ ِ ِ ‫الر‬ ‫ ل‬4‫يغفِر ا‬
“May Allah forgive you. He is the most merciful of the merciful.”
Rasulullah  offered to pay him the Diyat (blood money) in compensation
but Hadhrat Huzaifah  declined to accept it. This further enhanced
Huzaifah’s  esteem in the eyes of Rasulullah .
The unexpected Attack of Khaalid bin Waleed and the

Unwavering Stance of Rasulullah 
Although a great many brave souls were left floundering on the battlefield
following the unanticipated attack of Khaalid bin Waleed, nothing could shake the
steadfastness and perseverance of Rasulullah . How could anything
agitate his steadfastness because the Nabi of Allah can never be, Allah forbid, a
timid coward. The mountains may move but the messengers of Allah Ta’ala will
surely stand their ground. The valour of a single messenger far outweighs the
valour of the entire world of champions.
Describing this scene, Hadhrat Miqdaad  says:
‫فوالي بعثه بالق ما زلت قدمه شبا واحد وانه لق وجه العدو‬
‫ويفئ اله طائفة من اصحابه مرة وتفتق مرة فربما رايته قائما‬
‫يرم عن قوسه ويرم بالجر حت انازوا عنه‬
“I swear by the celestial being Who sent Rasulullah  with the truth,
Rasulullah’s  feet did not budge an inch in his resolute stance against the
disbelievers. A group of the Sahaabah  would sometimes come to his
assistance and sometimes they would disperse and quite often I witnessed
Rasulullah  discharging arrows and hurling stones at the disbelievers

until the enemy melted away.”
Bodyguards of Rasulullah 
During this state of turmoil, fourteen Sahaabah  stood their ground with
Rasulullah ; seven from the Muhaajireen and seven from the Ansaar.
They were:
Muhaajireen Ansaar
1. Abu Bakr  1. Abu Dujaanah 
2. ‘Umar bin Khattaab  2. Habbaab bin Munzir 
3. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  3. ‘Aasim bin Saabit 
4. S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  4. Haaris bin Sammah 
5. Talhah  5. Suhail bin Hunaif 
6. Zubair bin ‘Awwam  6. S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
7. Abu ‘Ubaidah  7. Usaid bin Hudhair 
Hadhrat Ali’s  name was not mentioned in the Muhaajireen because

following the martyrdom of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair , Rasulullah 
appointed him the flag bearer of the Muslim army. He was engaged in fighting the
enemy.
These fourteen gallant personalities were constantly with Rasulullah
. Occasionally when the need arose some of them would go away but
swiftly return. This is why Rasulullah  was sometimes left with twelve
people.
Unexpected Attack of the Quraysh against Rasulullah 

and the Valiant Sacrifice of the Sahaabah 
When the Quraysh launched an attack on Rasulullah , he invited: “Who

will rid these people of me and render himself my companion in Jannah?” Hadhrat
Anas  says: “There were seven Ansaar with Rasulullah  and every
one of them fought valiantly until, one by one, they were all rendered Shaheed.”
According to the narration of Ibn Ishaaq, Rasulullah  invited:
‫من رجل يشي لا نفسه‬

“Is there any man who is prepared to sell his life for us?”
Chapter 15 309
Immediately upon hearing this, Ziyaad bin Sakan  and five other Ansaar
responded to this call. One after the other, each one of them demonstrated their
mettle of sacrifice until they were rendered Shaheed. They bartered their lives in
exchange for Jannah.
Martyrdom of Ziyaad bin Sakan 
Ziyaad was blessed with an additional privilege. When he fell wounded to the
ground, Rasulullah  said: “Bring him closer to me.”
When his companions brought him to Rasulullah , Ziyaad placed his
cheek on the blessed foot of Rasulullah  and consigned his life over to
Allah Ta’ala ‫ إﻧﺎ وإﻧﺎ إﻟﻴﻪ راﺟﻌﻮن‬.
Attack of ‘Utbah bin Abi Waqqaas upon Rasulullah 

Availing himself of an opportune moment, ‘Utbah bin Abi Waqqaas, the brother of
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  hurled a stone upon Rasulullah  with such
force that Rasulullah  lost a lower tooth and his lower lip was injured.
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  says: “I was not as eager to kill anyone else as much
as I was eager to kill my brother ‘Utbah bin Abi Waqqaas.”
Attack of ‘Abdullah bin Qumayyah upon Rasulullah 

‘Abdullah bin Qumayyah, a celebrated wrestler of the Quraysh, attacked
Rasulullah  with such force that two links of his armoured helmet
pierced his cheek. Meanwhile, ‘Abdullah bin Shihaab Zuhri hurled a stone at
Rasulullah  injuring his blessed forehead. When his blessed face started
bleeding, Abu Sa’eed Khudri’s  father Maalik bin Sinaan  sucked the
blood and cleaned his blessed face. Rasulullah  promised: “The fire of
Jahannam will never strike you.”
Abu Umaamah  relates: “After inflicting this injury to Rasulullah
, Ibn Qumayyah taunted:
‫خذها وانا ابن قميه‬

‘Here, take it! I am the son of Qumayyah.’”
ّٰ
4‫اقماك ا‬
“May Allah disgrace and destroy you”
Barely a few days later, Allah Ta’ala set a mountain goat over him that tore him to
pieces with its horns.
Support of Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Talhah  to

Rasulullah 
Since Rasulullah  was also donning a pair of heavy steel armour, he fell
into a hole dug by ‘Abu ‘Amir the Faasiq for the Muslims. Hadhrat Ali  held
his hand and Hadhrat Talhah  supported his waist and only then did he
manage to stand upright.
On this occasion, he remarked: “If you wish to see a living martyr walking the
surface of this earth, take a look at Talhah.”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates from her father Abu Bakr  that when
two links of the armoured helmet embedded themselves into the cheeks of
Rasulullah , Hadhrat Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah  gripped them with
his teeth and plucked them out. He lost two of his teeth in the process.
When Rasulullah  attempted to ascend one of the peaks of the
mountain, his fatigue and weakness compounded by the burden of his double
armour left him helpless. Hadhrat Talhah  positioned himself in submission
before Rasulullah . Placing his foot on Talhah , Rasulullah
 managed to climb up.
Hadhrat Zubair  narrates: “On this occasion, I heard Rasulullah
 declaring:
‫او جب طلحة‬
‘Talhah has made Jannah compulsory for himself.’”
Qays bin Abi Haazim says: “I saw the hand of Talhah  that he used as a
shield in defending of Rasulullah  on the day of Uhud. His hand was
completely paralysed.”
On that day Hadhrat Talhah  sustained thirty five or thirty nine wounds
to his body.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates that whenever Abu Bakr  mentioned
the battle of Uhud, he would say:
Chapter 15 311
‫كن ذلك الوم كه لطلحة‬

“That day was exclusively for Talhah.”
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates: “Whilst deflecting the attacks of the enemy,
Hadhrat Talhah’s  fingers were severed. Impulsively he cried out: ‘Hasan
(good).’ Upon this Rasulullah  remarked:
‫ ﺗﻠﺞ‬k‫ ﺣ‬،‫ﻟﻮ ﻗﻠﺖ ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ ﻟﺮﻓﻌﺘﻚ اﻤﻟﻼﺋﻜﺔ واﺠﺎس ﻳﻨﻈﺮون اﻚ‬

‫ﺑﻚ ﻲﻓ ﺟﻮ اﻟﺴﻤﺎء‬
‘If you uttered Bismillah instead of Hasan, the angels would have raised you high
up where the people would have been able to catch sight of you until they enter the
atmosphere of the sky with you.’”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates from Hadhrat Abu Bakr  who says: “On
the day of Uhud, we counted more than seventy wounds on the body of Talhah
.”
Hadhrat Anas’s  stepfather Hadhrat Abu Talhah  was protecting
Rasulullah  with a shield. He was a master archer. On that day, he broke
two or three bows. Whoever happened to pass by with a quiver of arrows,
Rasulullah  would say: “Go and empty out your quiver before Abu
Talhah.”
Whenever Rasulullah  planned to stick his head out to check on the
people, Abu Talhah  would plead with him:
‫ تشف يصبك سهم من سهام القوم نري دون نرك‬O ‫باب انت و ام‬
“May my parents be sacrificed for you, O Rasulullah ! Do not stick your
head out. An arrow of the enemy may strike you. Rather it strikes my chest instead
of yours.”
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  too was a professional archer. On the day of Uhud,
Rasulullah  fished out all his arrows from his quiver and placed them
before S‘ad  and said:
‫ارم فداك اب وام‬

“Go on, shoot the arrows. May my parents be sacrificed for you.”
Hadhrat Ali  narrates: “I have not heard Rasulullah  saying ‘may

my parents be sacrificed for you’ for anyone other than S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas
.”
On the day of Uhud, Hadhrat S‘ad  discharged one thousand arrows.
The Gallant Sacrifice of Abu Dujaanah 
Abu Dujaanah  positioned himself before Rasulullah  as a human

shield with his back facing the enemy. Scores of arrows landed on his back but for
fear of an arrow wounding Rasulullah , Abu Dujaanah  did not
budge an inch.
Rasulullah  Lamenting over the Disbelievers
Hadhrat Anas  narrates: “On the day of Uhud, Rasulullah  would

continue wiping the blood off his blessed face and lament in the following words:
‘How can a people who stained the face of their Nabi with blood ever be successful
whilst the Nabi is merely inviting them towards their Lord?’”
Rasulullah  Cursing Some of the Qurayshi Chieftains
Hadhrat Saalim  narrates that Rasulullah  cursed Safwaan bin

Umayyah, Suhail bin ‘Amr and Haaris bin Hishaam. Upon this, Allah Ta’ala
revealed the following verse:
ۡ
﴾۱۲۸﴿ ‫ ٰﻇﻠ ﻤ ۡﻮن‬$
ْ ‫ ﻓﺎﻧ‬$ ْ ‫ ا ْو ﻳﻌﺬﺑ‬$
ۡ ‫ﻟ' ۡﺲ ﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ اﻻ ْﻣﺮ‬
ْ ‫¡ءٌ ا ْو ﻳﺘ ۡﻮب ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬

“The decision is not for you to make (O Muhammad, but for Allah alone). He may
pardon them or He may punish them because they are sinners.”
[Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 128]
Hafiz ‘Asqalaani  says: “All three of them embraced Islam at the conquest of
Makkah. Perhaps this is why Allah Ta’ala forbade Rasulullah  cursing
them and revealed the aforementioned verse.”
‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood  says: “I can still distinctly visualise the scene
where Rasulullah  was busy wiping the blood off his face and pleading
with Allah:
َ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ ّ َ
‫ َي ۡعل ُم ۡون‬O ‫ب اغف ِۡر لِق ۡو ِم فا ِن ُه ۡم‬
ِ ‫ر‬
“O my Lord! Forgive my people because they do not know.”
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Spurred by his extreme affection and compassion, Rasulullah  used the

words ‘they do not know’ in his dua. In other words, ‘my people are unaware and
naïve’. He didn’t say ‘my people are ignorant’.
Although ignorance is no excuse especially after witnessing clear proofs,
Rasulullah , who was an embodiment of compassion and mercy,
apologised before the most Merciful on their behalf, citing their ignorance. Perhaps,
he thought, Allah Ta’ala would free them from the web of kufr and disbelief and
admit them into the circle of Islam and peace. Perhaps Allah Ta’ala would make
them drink the ‘wine’ of Ikhlaas (sincerity and devotion) and intoxicate them with
His celestial love to such an extent that the despicable nature of this world and the
honour of the hereafter becomes visible to them. Perhaps they will be set free from
the prison of kufr and transgression and released forever into the sheltered
splendour of Imaan, Ikhlaas and Ihsaan never to depart from there again.
Qataadah bin Nu’maan  Loses an Eye during the Battle
Qataadah bin Nu’maan  narrates: “On the day of Uhud, I positioned myself
right in front of Rasulullah’s  face and directed my face towards the
enemy so that my face may bear the brunt of the arrows instead of the blessed face
of Rasulullah . One of the last arrows of the enemy landed with such
force on my face that my eyeball popped out. Holding it in my hand, I turned
towards Rasulullah . When he caught sight of my eye, his eyes welled up
with tears and he made dua for me: ‘O Allah! Just as Qataadah protected the face of
your Nabi, protect his face and restore his eye to a condition better and sharper
than what it was.’ Saying this, Rasulullah  took the eyeball and replaced
it into its socket. Instantaneously, my eyesight was restored. In fact, my eyesight
turned out to be better and sharper than what it originally was.”
According to another narration, Qataadah  held the eyeball in his hand
and appeared before Rasulullah , who said: “If you exercise patience, you
will be rewarded with Jannah and if you wish I will replace your eyeball in its
original position and make dua for you.” Qataadah  replied: “O Rasulullah! I
have a wife whom I love dearly. I fear that if I am left with one eye she may find it
revolting and she may develop feelings of dislike and hatred towards me.”
Taking hold of the eye, Rasulullah  replaced it into its socket and
made the following dua: “O Allah! Grant him beauty and handsomeness.”
Rumour of Rasulullah’s  Martyrdom
When a false rumour of Rasulullah’s  assassination started making its

rounds, some Muslims lost courage. Despondently they said: “Since Rasulullah
 is martyred, what is the need for fighting now?”
To this, Hadhrat Anas’s  paternal uncle countered: “O people!
Muhammad  may have been killed but the Lord of Muhammad
 has not been killed. Continue fighting for whatever cause you had been
fighting previously and sacrifice your lives for the same. What would you stay
alive and do after the demise of Rasulullah ?”
Saying this, he pitched himself in the ranks of the enemy and fought them
until he was martyred.
Martyrdom of Anas bin Nadr 
Hadhrat Anas  narrates: “My paternal uncle Anas bin Nadr  was
profoundly distressed for failing to take part in the battle of Badr. Once, he
mentioned to Rasulullah : ‘O Rasulullah! How lamentable that I could not
participate in the foremost battle of Islam against the disbelievers. If Allah Ta’ala
grants me the ability to participate in another Jihaad in the future, Allah will
witness my gallant efforts and my heroic spirit of sacrifice.’”
During the battle of Uhud, when some people fled in defeat, Anas bin Nadr
 submitted before Allah: “O Allah! I beg your forgiveness from what some of
the Muslims have done – fleeing from the battlefield - and I isolate myself from
what the disbelievers have done.”
Saying this, he advanced towards the enemy with a sword in his hand. When
he caught sight of S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  before him, he said:
‫اين يا سعد ان اجد ريح النة دون احد‬

“Where to O S‘ad?! I perceive the fragrance of Jannah beyond Uhud.”
“Ah! I can smell the fragrance of Jannah emanating from the mountain of Uhud.”
Hadhrat Anas  strode forth and engaged the enemy until he was martyred.
More than eighty wounds inflicted by swords and arrows were found on his body.
In his regard, the following verse was revealed:
ٌ ۡ ْ ْ
N‫ﺎﻫ ﺪوا اﷲ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ‬‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ا‬‫ﻮ‬ۡ ‫ﺎل ﺻﺪﻗ‬
‫ﺟ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺆ‬‫ﻣﻦ اﻟ ﻤ‬

“Amongst the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah.”
[Surah Ahzaab verse 23]
Chapter 15 315
The chief reason for the anguish facing the Muslims on this occasion was that they
were unable to catch sight of Rasulullah . The first person to recognise
Rasulullah  during this upheaval was K‘ab bin Maalik . Rasulullah
 was wearing a helmet that was concealing his blessed face. K‘ab 
says: “I recognised Rasulullah  from his radiant eyes. The moment I
caught sight of him, I yelled: ‘O Muslims! Glad tidings for you. There is Rasulullah
 over there.’” Raising his hand to his face, Rasulullah  signalled
him to maintain silence. Although Rasulullah  forbade him to mention
this a second time, their hearts and minds were focused in that direction. This is
why, following the single cheerful announcement of K‘ab , a few Muslims
dashed off towards Rasulullah  like moths to a flame. K‘ab  says:
“Thereafter Rasulullah  gave me his armour to wear whilst he wore my
armour. Thinking that I am Rasulullah , the enemy started letting loose a
torrent of arrows upon me. I sustained more than twenty wounds on this occasion.”
As a few Muslims gathered around Rasulullah , he set off for the
mountain pass. Amongst others, accompanying him were Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Ali,
Talhah and Haaris bin Simmah . Rasulullah  attempted to climb
the mountain but due to weakness, exhaustion and the weight of the double
armour, he was unable to climb up. This is why Hadhrat Talhah  sat down
before him. Placing his foot on Talhah , Rasulullah  clambered
over.
Killing of Ubayy bin Khalaf

In the meantime, Ubayy bin Khalaf came galloping on his horse, a horse that he fed
and fattened with the sole intention of sitting astride it and killing Rasulullah
.
When Rasulullah  got wind of his intentions, he at once said: “Insha
Allah, I will kill him.”
As he drew closer to the Muslims, the Sahaabah  sought Rasulullah’s
 permission to finish him off. Rasulullah  said:
“Leave him. Allow him to get closer.”
As he came up to them, Rasulullah  took a spear from Haaris bin
Simmah  and inflicted a slight spear-jab to his neck. He started shrieking at
the top of his voice and returned to his people bellowing: “By Allah! Muhammad
has killed me.”
His people attempted to console him saying: “It is nothing but a slight prick. It
is not such a serious wound that you have to scream like this.” Ubayy retorted:
“Don’t you know? Muhammad himself told me in Makkah: ‘I will kill you’. Only
my heart understands the severity of this ‘prick’. By Allah! If this prick were to be
distributed amongst the inhabitants of Hijaaz, just this one prick would be
sufficient for their destruction.”
Ubayy continued bellowing like this until he reached a place called Sarif where
he died.
Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Faatimah  bathe the

wounds of Rasulullah 
When Rasulullah  reached the valley, the battle had ended. He sat down
whilst Hadhrat Ali  brought some water and cleaned the blood off his blessed
face. He also poured some water over his head. Rasulullah  then
performed wudhu and led the Salaah whilst seated. The Sahaabah  also
performed their Salaah whilst seated behind Rasulullah .
Mutilating the Corpses of the Muslims

During the battle, the disbelievers started mutilating the bodies of the Muslims.
They severed the noses and ears. They ripped open their bellies and lopped off their
private parts. Even the womenfolk joined the men in this gruesome task.
Hindah, whose father was killed at the hands of Hadhrat Hamzah  in the
battle of Badr, mutilated the body of Hadhrat Hamzah . She cut his stomach
open and hacked off a piece of his liver. She then tried to swallow it but since it
refused to go down her throat, she spat it out.
Elated by this satisfying moment, she removed all her jewellery and handed it
over to Wahshi.
She also made a necklace out of the severed ears and noses of the Muslims and
hung it around her neck.
Abu Sufyaan’s Taunts and Hadhrat ‘Umar’s  reply
When the Quraysh elected to leave the battlefield, Abu Sufyaan ascended the
mountain and yelled: “Is Muhammad alive amongst you?”
Rasulullah  asked his companions to refrain from responding to his
provoking taunts. Abu Sufyaan yelled out thrice but each time he was greeted with
absolute silence. He then called out: “Is the son of Abu Quhaafah (Abu Bakr )
alive amongst you?” Rasulullah  again asked the Sahaabah  to
remain silent. Repeating this question three times, he kept quiet. A little while later,
he asked: “Is ‘Umar bin Khattaab alive?” He repeated this thrice but this statement
also failed to evoke a response. He gleefully shrieked out to his cohorts: “As for that
lot, they have been killed. If they were alive they would have surely responded.”
Chapter 15 317
However, Hadhrat ‘Umar  was unable to maintain his patience any

longer and he screamed:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليك ما يزنك‬4‫ ابق ا‬4‫ يا عدو ا‬4‫كذبت وا‬
“By Allah! You are lying, O enemy of Allah! Allah has set aside something for you
that would bring grief and anguish to you.”
Thereafter, taking the name of a national deity, Abu Sufyaan yelled:
ُۡ ُ ُۡ ُ
‫اعل هبَل اعل ه َبل‬
“Rise, O Hubal! May your religion thrive, O Hubal. ”
In response, Rasulullah  asked Hadhrat ‘Umar  to say:
ُّ َ ٰ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َ
‫ ا< َوا َجل‬4 ‫ا‬
“Allah is the most exalted and elevated.”
Abu Sufyaan retorted:
‫ عزى لكم‬O‫ان لا العزى و‬

“We have ‘Uzza (name of a deity) whilst you have no ‘Uzza.” (In other words you
have no ‘Izzah, honour.)
Rasulullah  instructed Hadhrat ‘Umar  to reply:
ُ ّٰ َ ‫ا‬
‫ مول لكم‬O‫نا و‬O‫ مو‬4
“Allah is our Mawlaa (Lord, master) whilst you have no Mawlaa.”
In other words, honour lies only in one’s association with Allah. Association with
‘Uzza has no honour but dishonour.
Abu Sufyaan said:
‫يوم بيوم بدر والرب سجال‬

“This day is in response to the day of Badr. War has its ups and downs.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  responded:
‫كم ف الار‬K‫نا ف النة وقت‬K‫ سواء قت‬O

“We can never be the same because our casualties are in Jannah whilst your victims
are in Jahannam.”
Since Abu Sufyaan’s statement ‘war has its ups and downs’ was true, this
statement was not responded to. Allah Ta’ala’s declaration in the Qur-aan ‘those
are the days we rotate around people’ confirms this fact.
Thereafter, Abu Sufyaan summoned Hadhrat ‘Umar  saying:
َّ َ ‫ه ُل َّم‬
‫إ¯ يا عمر‬
“O ‘Umar! Come towards me.”
Rasulullah  asked Hadhrat ‘Umar  to go and see what he wants.
When Hadhrat ‘Umar  drew closer to him, Abu Sufyaan asked:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫ يا عمرا قتلنا ممدا صل ا‬4‫انشدك ا‬
“I beg you to pledge in the name of Allah, O ‘Umar! Did we manage to kill
Muhammad?”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  replied:
‫ن‬O‫مك ا‬Ë ‫وانه ليسمع‬O ‫اللهم‬

“By Allah! Certainly not! He is alive and listening to you as we speak.”
Abu Sufyaan commented:
‫انت عندي اصدق من ابن قمية و ابر‬

“According to me, you are more truthful than Ibn Qumayyah (the celebrated
wrestler of the Quraysh who was killed by a mountain goat, as explained earlier)
and you are more pious than him”
Abu Sufyaan also added:
‫ امرت‬O‫ نهيت و‬O‫ ما رضيت و‬4‫كم مثل وا‬K‫انه قدكن ف قت‬

“A number of your victims were subjected to physical mutilation by our people. By
Allah I swear that I am not delighted with this. I did not prevent this nor did I
decree it.”
As he was heading off, Abu Sufyaan cried out:
‫موعدكم بدر للعام القابل‬

“Our rendezvous is Badr in the forthcoming year.”
To this Rasulullah  asked a Sahaabi to reply:
Chapter 15 319
ّٰ
4‫نعم هو بيننا و بينك موعد انشاء ا‬
“Yes, this is a pledge between you and us, Insha Allah.”
On the departure of the disbelievers from the battlefield, the womenfolk of the
Muslims left Madinah to ascertain the conditions of the Muslims. Hadhrat
Faatimah  noticed blood running down the blessed face of Rasulullah
. Hadhrat Ali  fetched some water in his shield and Hadhrat
Faatimah  bathed his wound. However the more she cleansed the wound, the
more the blood trickled out. They then burnt a piece of a grass-mat and filled its
ash into the wound. This helped in stopping the blood.
Martyrdom of S‘ad bin Rab’i 
Following the departure of the Quraysh, Rasulullah  instructed Zaid bin

Saabit  to search for the whereabouts of S‘ad bin Rab’i . He instructed
him thus:
ّٰ
‫ كيف تدك‬4‫م وقل ل يقول لك رسول ا‬K‫ان رايته فاقرأه من الس‬
“If you manage locating him, pass on my Salaam to him and inform him that the
Prophet of Allah asks: ‘What condition do you find yourself in now’?”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Saabit  narrates: “I went out in search of him and located
him whilst he still had some life left in him. He had sustained seventy sword and
arrow wounds to his body. When I delivered Rasulullah’s  message to
him, S‘ad  replied:
“Salaam upon Rasulullah  and Salaam upon you as well. Inform
Rasulullah  that at this moment I am able to perceive the fragrance of
Jannah and inform my people, the Ansaar, that if Rasulullah  is
inconvenienced in any way and they have one eye left (i.e. even if there is just one
person left amongst them), none of their excuses will be accepted in the court of
Allah.”
Saying this, he breathed his last and bade farewell to this world.
According to another narration, S‘ad bin Rab’i  addressed Zaid bin
Saabit  thus:
“Inform Rasulullah  that at this time I am about to pass on. After
conveying my Salaam to him, inform him that S‘ad says: ‘May Allah reward you
with the best of rewards on our behalf and on behalf of the entire Ummah’.”
According to the narration of Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr , Ubayy bin K‘ab 

says: “I returned to Rasulullah  and notified him of S‘ad’s message. He
commented:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ ولرسول حيا وميتا‬4 ‫ نصح‬4‫رحه ا‬
‘May Allah shower His mercy upon him. In life and in death, he was loyal and he
wished well for Allah and His Rasool.’”
The Search for the Body of Hadhrat Hamzah 
Rasulullah  went out in search for his uncle, Hadhrat Hamzah . He

found his mutilated body in the depth of the valley. His nose and ears were lobbed
off. His stomach and chest were ripped apart. On catching sight of this
heartrending and agonising scene, Rasulullah  was spontaneously moved
to tears. He mournfully commented: “May Allah shower you with His mercy. As
far as I am aware, you were exceedingly charitable and you maintained favourable
family ties. If it was not for the anguish and heartache of Safiyyah1, I would have
left you like this for the vultures and beasts. They would have devoured you and on
the day of judgement you would have been resurrected from their bellies.”
Also standing at the same spot, Rasulullah  vowed: “By Allah I
swear! If Allah grants me victory over the disbelievers, I would mutilate seventy of
them in retaliation for what they have done to you.”
Rasulullah  barely moved from this spot when the following verses
were revealed:
‫ﱪ وﻣﺎ‬ ْ ‫اﺻ‬ْ ‫ ﴾ و‬۱۲۶﴿ ‫ﻠﺼﱪﻳ ۡﻦ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﱪﺗ ْﻢ ﻟﻬﻮ ﺧ‬

ٰ ‫ﲑ ﻟ‬ ْ ‫ﻦﺻ‬ ۡ ‫ وﻟ‬MN‫و ا ْن ﻋﺎﻗ ْﺒﺘ ْﻢ ﻓﻌﺎﻗﺒ ۡﻮا ﺑﻤ ْﺜﻞ ﻣﺎ ﻋ ۡﻮﻗ ْﺒﺘ ۡﻢ ﺑﻪ‬
ٖ
ۡ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ اﺗﻘﻮا‬ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ﻊ‬ ‫﴾ ان اﷲ ﻣ‬۱۲۷﴿ ‫ﻜﺮون‬

‫ﻚ ﰲ ﺿﻴﻖ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳﻤ‬
ٍ ‫ و ﻻ ﺗ‬$‫ك ا ﻻ ﺑﺎﷲ و ﻻ ﺗﺤ ﺰن ﻋ ﻠﻴ‬ ‫ﺻﱪ‬

ْ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬
﴾۱۲۸٪ ﴿ ‫ﻫ ۡﻢ ﻣﺤﺴ ﻨ ۡﻮن‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫و‬

“And if you retaliate then retaliate in a manner corresponding to the adversity you
were afflicted with. And if you exercise patience, it is best for the patient ones. And
exercise patience, your patience is only with the divine guidance of Allah, do not be
grieved over them (disbelievers) and do not be distressed by what they plot. Verily,
Allah is with those who have Taqwa (Allah-consciousness) and with those who
perform good deeds.”
1
Hadhrat Safiyyah  was the sister of Hadhrat Hamza 
Chapter 15 321
Rasulullah  then exercised patience, paid kaffaarah (expiation) for

breaking his oath and abandoned this idea (of retaliation).
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates that when Rasulullah  glimpsed at
the body of Hadhrat Hamzah , he burst out crying and in a sobbing voice he
declared:
ّٰ
‫ يوم القيامة حزة‬4‫سيد الشهداء عند ا‬
“On the day of Qiyaamah, Hamzah would be the leader of all the martyrs in the
sight of Allah.”
This is why he was distinguished with the title of Sayyidus-Shuhadaa.
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh 
‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  was also martyred in this battle. On the day of Uhud,
prior to the actual battle erupting, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  called S’ad bin Abi
Waqqaas  aside and very discreetly said: “Come let us sit in one corner and
make dua and we will say Aameen to one another’s dua.
S‘ad  continues: “Both of us went to a secluded corner of the field and
seated ourselves. I made a dua first in the following words: “O Allah! Let today’s
confrontation be with such an enemy who is valiant, dauntless and plump with
fury so that I may challenge him for some time and he may contend with me.
Thereafter, O Allah, grant me victory over him so that I may slay him and seize his
possessions.”
To this, ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  said: “Aameen.” He then made the
following dua: “O Allah! Today let me encounter an adversary who is brave, strong
and furious. May I challenge him solely for Your pleasure and may he in turn fight
me and subsequently kill me. May he cut off my nose and ears and when I
ultimately appear before You, you can ask me: “O ‘Abdullah! Where did you lose
your nose and ears?” I will then submit: “In Your path and the path of Your Nabi
.” And to this You will reply: “You have spoken the truth.”
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  states, “His dua was far superior to mine. In the
evening we found that his nose and ears had been cut off.”
S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  continues: “Allah also accepted my dua. I also
killed an exceptionally powerful disbeliever and took hold of his possessions.”
Sa’eed bin Musayyib  says that ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  made the
following dua:
‫اللهم ان اقسم عليك ان الق العدو فيقتلون ثم يبقروا بطن‬

‫ويجدعوا انف واذن ثم تسألن بم ذلك فاقول فيك‬
‘O Allah! I make a pledge unto you that I confront the enemy and they kill me and
cleave my stomach apart and cut off my ears and then You would ask me why this
happened and I would reply: “Solely for You.”
Sa’eed bin Musayyib  says: “Just as Allah Ta’ala accepted his dua of
martyrdom in this extraordinary manner, in the same vein, I confidently expect
Allah to accept the second part of his dua as well, i.e. Allah’s question of why this
happened and his response.” This is why Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh  was
distinguished with the title of Mujadd‘a fillah (one whose nose and ears are cut off
in the path of Allah).
Martyrdom of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam 
Hadhrat Jaabir’s  father, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam  also passed
away as a martyr in this battle.
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates: “My father was martyred in the battle of Uhud
and the disbelievers subjected his body to dreadful mutilation. When his body was
placed before Rasulullah , I attempted to lift the cloth covering his face to
take a peek but the Sahaabah  prevented me from doing so. When I
attempted to raise the cloth a second time, they again prevented me, but Rasulullah
 allowed me to take a look.
“When my aunt (my father’s sister), Hadhrat Faatimah bint ‘Amr  burst
out weeping, Rasulullah  remarked: “Why do you weep? The angels are
constantly casting shade over him.” This continued until his Janaazah (bier) was
lifted.”
In other words, this is not an occasion of solemn grief but an occasion of
profound joy in the sense that the angels are casting shade over your brother.
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates: “Once when Rasulullah  caught sight
of me, he asked in concern: ‘O Jaabir! What is the matter? I notice that you are
looking somewhat depressed?’ I replied: ‘O Rasulullah! My father was martyred in
the battle of Uhud and he left behind a burden of young children and debts.’
Rasulullah  replied: ‘Should I not convey a glad tiding to you?’
‘Surely’, I replied. ‘Why not? Please do tell me.’
Rasulullah  said: ‘Allah has spoken to anyone but through a veil but
in the case of your father, Allah resuscitated him and spoke to him directly and
said: ‘O My servant! What do you desire? Present whatever wish you have before
Me.’ To this your father replied: ‘I wish to be resuscitated and killed once more in
Chapter 15 323
Your path.’ Allah Ta’ala responded: ‘No, this cannot happen because it has been
decisively decreed that there is no return (to earth) after death.’”
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam  says: “A few days before the battle of
Badr I saw Mubashhir bin Munzir in a dream addressing me thus: ‘O ‘Abdullah!
Soon you will be joining us.’ I asked: ‘Where are you?’ He replied: ‘In Jannah
where we move about and wander as we please.’ I asked: ‘Were you not killed in
the battle of Badr?’ Mubashhir replied: ‘Yes but I was resuscitated.’”
‘Abdullah  says: “I narrated this dream to Rasulullah  who
remarked: ‘O Abu Jaabir! The interpretation of this dream is martyrdom.’”
Martyrdom of ‘Amr bin Jamooh 
In the same battle, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam’s  brother-in-law (sister’s
husband) ‘Amr bin Jamooh  was martyred. The account of his martyrdom is
also rather astounding. ‘Amr bin Jamooh  was lame and this lameness on his
leg was not mild but incredibly severe. He had four sons, all of whom accompanied
Rasulullah  in every one of his battles. Before their departure for Uhud,
he apprised them: “I am also coming with you in Jihaad.” They responded: “You are
excused. Allah has offered you respite. It is better if you stay here.”
But where would these enthusiasts of determination ever submit to the
proposals of respite? He became so restless with the enthusiasm for martyrdom that
limping heavily he appeared before Rasulullah  and submitted:
ّٰ
‫رجو ان اطأ بعرجت هذه ف النة‬O ‫ ان‬4‫وا‬
“O Rasulullah! (My sons forbid me from joining you.) By Allah! I hope to trample
the (soil of) Jannah with this lameness of mine.”
Rasulullah  responded: “You have been pardoned by Allah. Jihaad is not
compulsory upon you.” Rasulullah  then addressed his sons saying:
“What harm is there if you abstain from preventing him? Perhaps Allah Ta’ala will
bless him with martyrdom.”
He then set out for Jihaad where he was martyred.
Whilst setting out from Madinah, he faced the Qiblah and made the following
dua:
‫ تردن ا¯ اهل‬O‫اللهم ارزقن الشهادة و‬

“O Allah! Bless me with martyrdom and do not return me to my family.”
In the same battle, his son Khallaad bin ‘Amr bin Jamooh  was also
martyred.
‘Amr bin Jamooh’s wife, Hindah bint ‘Amr bin Haraam  (sister of
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam and the aunt of Hadhrat Jaabir ) decided to
load all three bodies (the body of her brother Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam, the
body of her son Khallaad bin ‘Amr bin Jamooh and the body of her husband ‘Amr
bin Jamooh) onto one camel and transport them to Madinah for burial there.
However, the camel would sit down whenever it was directed towards Madinah
but it would quicken its pace when directed towards Uhud.
When Hindah appeared before Rasulullah  to apprise him of this
strange phenomenon, he asked: “Did ‘Amr bin Jamooh make any dua whilst
departing from Madinah?” “Yes”, she replied and then went on to mention the
aforementioned dua. Rasulullah  commented: “This is why the camel
refuses to return towards Madinah.”
Rasulullah  then remarked:
‫بره منهم عمرو‬O 4‫والي نفس بيده ان منكم من لو اقسم < ا‬

‫بن الموح ولقد رأيته يطأ بعرجة ف النة‬
“I swear by the Being in whose absolute control lies my life, verily there are some
amongst you who, if they take an oath in the name of Allah Ta’ala, He would
ensure that the oath is fulfilled. One of such people is ‘Amr bin Jamooh. I beheld
him strolling in Jannah with the same limp.”
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam  and ‘Amr bin Jamooh  were both
buried in one grave close to the mountain of Uhud.
Martyrdom of Khaysamah 
Hadhrat Khaysamah  (whose son S‘ad was martyred whilst fighting

alongside Rasulullah  in the battle of Badr) appeared before Rasulullah
 and said: “O Rasulullah ! It is a pity I missed the battle of
Badr. I was extremely eager to participate in that battle. In fact, I was so keen that
my son S‘ad and I drew lots to determine who would be blessed with this good
fortune. However, this fortune was decreed for my son S‘ad. His name came up in
the lot and he was blessed with martyrdom whilst I was left behind.
Last night I saw my son in a dream. He was looking extremely handsome and
exceptionally attractive. I saw him strolling about in the gardens and streams of
Jannah. He said to me: ‘O father! Why don’t you join me? Both of us will live
together in Jannah. Whatever promises my Lord made unto me, I found them to be
absolutely true.’
“O Rasulullah !” Hadhrat Khaysamah  said: “I look forward to
my son’s company in Jannah. I am now an old man and my bones are gone weak
Chapter 15 325
but my heartfelt desire is to meet my Lord. Make dua that Allah Ta’ala blesses me
with martyrdom and grants me the company of S‘ad in Jannah.”
Rasulullah  then made dua for Hadhrat Khaysamah . Allah
Ta’ala accepted this dua and he was martyred in the battle of Uhud.
Insha Allah and Insha Allah again, there is a strong hope that Hadhrat
Khaysamah  joined his son S‘ad  in Jannah.
Martyrdom of Usayrim 
‘Amr bin Saabit who was commonly known by his title Usayrim always remained
aloof from Islam. He was initially indisposed to embracing Islam. On the day of
Uhud, Islam penetrated his heart and clutching a sword in his hand, he strode onto
the battlefield and valiantly fought the disbelievers until he fell down wounded.
When the people discovered that it was Usayrim, they were stunned and asked: “O
‘Amr! What prompted you of all people to engage in this battle? Were you
prompted by an earnest desire for Islam or was it due to fanatical patriotism and
nationalistic zeal?”
Usayrim replied:
ّٰ
‫ ورسول فاسلمت واخذت سيف‬4‫م فامنت با‬K‫س‬O‫بل رغبة ف ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم حت اصابن ما اصابن‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫وقاتلت مع رسول ا‬
“In fact my participation in this battle was prompted solely by my earnest desire for
Islam. So I embraced Islam and put my faith in Allah and His Rasool and clutching
a sword I fought on the side of Rasulullah  until I was afflicted with these
wounds.”
He barely finished uttering these words when he left this world.
‫انه لمن اهل النة‬

“Surely he is amongst the inhabitants of Jannah.”
Abu Hurayrah  would often ask: “Tell me, who was admitted into Jannah
without performing a single Salaah?” It was none other than this Sahaabi .
People of Madinah Scurry to Ascertain the Well-being of

Rasulullah 
Since some horrific stories about the war had reached Madinah, the men, women,
children and the elderly were eager to see Rasulullah  safe and sound,
more than their own relatives.
Hadhrat S‘ad bin Abi Waqqaas  narrates: “On his return from this battle,
Rasulullah  passed by an Ansaari woman who lost her husband, brother
and father in this battle. When she was informed of the martyrdom of her husband,
brother and father, she said: ‘No, tell me how is Rasulullah ?’ The people
replied: ‘Alhamdulillah! He is well.’ The lady replied: ‘Show me his blessed face. I
will be at ease once I set eyes on him.’ When the people pointed out Rasulullah
 to her, she exclaimed: ‘Every calamity after you is trivial and
insignificant.’”
A Special Favour upon the Sincere Sahaabah  during the

Anxiety of Battle
When a certain shaytaan circulated a rumour of Rasulullah’s 
martyrdom, some Muslims, due to their basic human temperament, were thrown
into a state of mental turmoil. In this state of anguish and bewilderment, their feet
staggered away from the battlefield for a little while. During this period, those who
were destined for martyrdom were martyred and those who were destined to break
away from the field moved off. As for those who were left on the battlefield, the
devout, sincere and divinely reliant amongst them were overcome with drowsiness.
These people dozed off whilst standing. One of them was Abu Talhah .
Abu Talhah  narrates: “A number of times my sword fell off my hands
onto the ground. Each time my sword fell down I would retrieve it.”
This was actually the feeling of inner tranquillity that Allah Ta’ala had
bestowed upon the people of faith and this inner calm instantly dispelled the fear of
the disbelievers from the hearts of the Muslims. As for the hypocrites who were
ostensibly taking active part in the battle, they were in absolute fear. Their sole
concern centred on saving their own lives. These unfortunate ones were not
overcome with drowsiness. In this regard the following verses were revealed:
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ً ً ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ اﻟْﻐﻢ اﻣﻨ‬H ‫ﺛﻢ اﻧ ۡﺰل ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣ‬
‫ و ﻃﺂ ﻔﺔ ﻗﺪ ا ﻫ ﻤﺘ‬º ‫ﻜﻢ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺔ‬

ْ ْ ۡ
M ‫ﻳ ﻈ ﻨ ۡﻮن ﺑﺎﷲ ﻏﲑ اﻟﺤ ﻖ ﻇ ﻦ اﻟﺠﺎﻫﻠ ﻴﺔ‬

“Then after the distress, He sent down peace (and security) for you. Slumber
overtook a party of you, while another party was concerned (solely) about
themselves and they indulged in thinking wrongly of Allah, thoughts of ignorance.”
[Surah Aal Imraan verse 154]
Hafiz Ibn Katheer  says: “The group that was overcome with slumber was
made up of the believers who were accredited with unwavering faith, steadfastness
and true reliance upon Allah Ta’ala. They had firm conviction that Allah Ta’ala
Chapter 15 327
would certainly assist His Rasool  and He would definitely fulfill the
promise He made to His Rasool .
The second group who were merely concerned about saving themselves and
they were fretful to be overcome with sleep comprised of the hypocrites. Their only
concern was their own personal safety. They were deprived of the slumber of peace
and tranquillity.”
Shrouding and Burial of the Martyrs

In this battle seventy Sahaabah  were martyred, most of them were from the
Ansaar. They were so destitute that they did not even possess sufficient cloth to
shroud their dead. When Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair  was martyred, the sheet for his
burial shroud was so short that when his head was covered, his feet would be
exposed and when his feet were covered his face would be exposed. Eventually,
Rasulullah  advised them to cover his head with the sheet and his feet
with izkhir leaves.
A similar incident is recorded about Sayyidush-Shuhadaa Hamzah .
Some of the martyrs were not favoured even with a single sheet of cloth. Some
of them were shrouded in pairs with a single sheet of cloth between the two of
them, and then in sets of two’s and three’s, they were buried in a single grave. At
the time of burial, Rasulullah  would ask: “Who knows more of the Qur-
aan from amongst them?” He would then place whoever was pointed out to him
towards the front of the grave facing the Qiblah. The others would then be placed
behind him. Rasulullah  would then remark:
‫ء يوم القيامة‬O‫انا شهيد < ه ٔو‬

“I will bear witness in their favour on the day of Qiyaamah.”
Rasulullah  also instructed them to bury these martyrs without ghusl in
their same blood-spattered clothing.
Some of the Sahaabah  expressed a desire to take the bodies of their
loved ones back to Madinah for burial but Rasulullah  turned them down
and bade them to bury their dead where they were martyred.
Patriotic martyrdom
On the day of Uhud, a man by the name of Qazmaan fought with outstanding
valour and unique devotion and single-handedly he put down seven or eight
disbelievers. Eventually, he was also wounded in battle. When he was carried back
home, some Sahaabah  remarked:
ّٰ
‫ لقد ابليت الوم يا قزمان فابش‬4‫وا‬
“Qazmaan! By Allah, today you have displayed unrivalled feats. Congratulations to
you.”
Qazmaan replied:
ّٰ
‫ ذلك ما قاتلت‬O ‫ عن احساب قوم ولو‬O‫ ان قاتلت ا‬4‫اذا ابش فوا‬
“Why do you congratulate me? By Allah, I did not engage in battle for the pleasure
of Allah and His Rasool. I fought solely in defence of my people. If it was not for
this, I would not have fought.”
When he was unable to bear the pangs of pain any longer, he committed suicide.
Note: Actually, this man was a hypocrite. The valiant accomplishments he
displayed whilst fighting with the Muslims against the disbelievers was prompted
by sentiments of patriotism and he lost his life in this condition. This is why
Rasulullah  declared him to be from the dwellers of Jahannam. A martyr
is he who engages in Jihaad ‘to elevate the word of Allah’. He who fights and gives
his life on grounds of patriotism, may be referred to as a “patriotic martyr” in
current terminology but in Islam he is not referred to as a true Shaheed (martyr).
A Synopsis of the Wisdom behind the Defeat at Uhud

As per the divine assurance of Allah Ta’ala, the Muslims prevailed over the
disbelievers at the beginning of the battle but when they abandoned their positions,
which Rasulullah  had assigned to them and they descended down the
mountain in quest of the war booty, the tide of the war rapidly altered and the
imminent victory was turned into humiliating defeat. In the divine court of Allah
Ta’ala, the devoted servants and the sincere lovers are taken to task for even the
most apparently ‘trivial’ violation. In this case, Allah Ta’ala did not like His sincere
and devoted servants (the Sahaabah) to infringe, even modestly, the
commandments of Rasulullah  even though this infringement was
induced by misunderstanding or oversight. Furthermore, for a true beloved, his
eminence of love does not warrant him abandoning his commitment and
scampering after the pittance of this dunya and something as pitiful as the war
booty. The war booty for which the Sahaabah  abandoned their positions
and rushed down the mountain was absolutely Halaal and pure for them as Allah
Ta’ala declares in another verse:
ً ْ
N‫ﻜﻠ ۡﻮا ﻣ ﻤﺎ ﻏﻨﻤﺘ ْﻢ ﺣﻠٰﻼ ﻃ ﻴ ًﺒﺎ‬
‫ﻓ‬

Chapter 15 329
“So eat from what you have acquired as war booty Halaal (lawful) and Tayyib
(pure).” [Surah Anfaal verse 69]
However, it was inappropriate for lovers of the Sahaabah’s  calibre to chase
after something without the permission of Allah Ta’ala even though it may be
Halaal and Tayyib.
As a form of admonishment, Allah Ta’ala transformed the imminent victory of
His devoted servants into a temporary defeat to warn them of pinning their hopes
on anyone other than Allah Ta’ala. Although this short-lived defeat was already
preordained in the knowledge of Allah Ta’ala, but amends for this defeat would be
made at the conquest of Makkah and in the future, the treasures of Caesar and
Chosroe would be granted to them. In short, the hearts of the devoted lovers should
be cleansed of even the inclination towards the permissible things of this dunya. In
this regard, Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verses:
ۡ ۡ ‫وﻟﻘ ْﺪ ﺻﺪﻗﻜﻢ اﷲ و ْﻋﺪ ٗه ۤ ا ْذ ﺗﺤﺴ ۡﻮﻧ‬
‫ﻦ‬H ‫ﺎزﻋﺘ ْﻢ ﰲ اﻻ ْﻣﺮ وﻋﺼ ۡﻴﺘ ۡﻢ ﻣ‬
ْ
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‫ﻢ‬

ٰۡ ۡ ‫ﻦ ﻳﺮﻳۡﺪ اﻧْﻴﺎ وﻣ ۡﻨﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣ‬ ۡ ‫ ﻣ ۡﻨﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣ‬M ‫ﻜ ۡﻢ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺤﺒ ۡﻮن‬B‫ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ ۤ ا ٰر‬
‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
‫ﺻﺮﻓ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻳﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ اﻻﺧﺮ ة ﺛﻢ‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ وﻟﻘ ْﺪ ﻋﻔﺎ ﻋ ۡﻨ‬ ْ ‫ﻋ ْﻨ‬
﴾۱۵۲﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
‫ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬¤ ‫ﻜﻢ واﷲ ذوﻓﻀ ٍﻞ ﻋ‬ ‫ ﻟﻴ ْﺒﺘﻠﻴ‬$

“And Allah fulfilled His promise (of victory) to you when you were slaying them
(the enemy) with His permission (and you managed to kill seven or nine
disbelievers who were the flag bearers of the army) until you lost your courage and
you plunged into dispute about the commandment and you disobeyed after He
showed you from that (booty or victory) which you desire. Amongst you are some
who desire the world and some who desire the hereafter. Then He turned you away
from them (by making you flee and bringing about your defeat) so that He may test
you. (In short, He changed this victory to defeat to test you and to clearly establish
who is genuine and who is fake) and Allah has forgiven you (this error. Hence, to
criticise any of them or even to pass judgement on any of them is impermissible.)
And Allah is most gracious to the believers.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 152]
In these verses, Allah Ta’ala explains that the tables have suddenly turned. The
army of the disbelievers who were getting a thrashing at the hands of the Muslims
were now absorbed in killing the Muslims. One of the reasons for this rapid change
was that some of the Sahaabah did not comply with the instructions of Rasulullah
. The result of this negligence was that due to the shortcomings of a few,
the whole army had to suffer the consequences of defeat. Inna Lillaahi wa Inna
Ilayhi Raaji‘un.
However, the infinite benevolence and immeasurable compassion of Allah
Ta’ala was not interrupted. In spite of the Muslims being affectionately
reprimanded, Allah Ta’ala consoled them repeatedly and encouraged them not to
lose hope. He has forgiven them their indiscretions. Allah Ta’ala proclaims His
forgiveness in this verse, “And Allah has forgiven you and Allah is most gracious
to the believers” and at the end of the Ruku, as an additional consolatory measure,
Allah Ta’ala once again announces His forgiveness when He declares:
ْ
‫ﻛﺴﺒ ۡﻮا وﻟ ﻘﺪ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺾ‬
ْ
‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻦ‬‫ﻄ‬ ٰ ‫ اﻟﺸ ۡﻴ‬$‫اﺳﺘﺰﻟ‬ ْ ‫ اﻧﻤﺎ‬º ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﺗﻮﻟ ْﻮا ﻣ ۡﻨﻜ ْﻢ ﻳ ْﻮم اﻟْﺘﻘﻲ اﻟْﺠ ْﻤ ٰﻌﻦ‬
‫ا ن‬

ْ ‫ﻋﻔﺎ اﷲ ﻋ ْﻨ‬
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“Verily those who fled on the day both the armies confronted one another, the only
reason for this was that shaytaan caused them to stumble. Verily, Allah has
forgiven them. Indisputably, He is all-Forgiving, most Tolerant.”
[Aal-‘Imraan verse 155]
Campaign of Hamraa ul-Asad - Sunday 16th Shawwaal 3 A.H.

As the Quraysh returned from Madinah after the battle of Uhud and they camped
at a place called Rawhaa, they reckoned that their mission was still
unaccomplished. They reflected that since they had already killed so many of
Muhammad’s companions and injured so many more, they should rather return to
Madinah and once and for all launch a decisive attack on them. The Muslims, they
thought, were fatigued and wounded. They would not be able to weather another
attack. However, Safwaan bin Umayyah suggested: “It would be best if we returned
to Makkah. Muhammad’s companions are currently fired by an arduous zeal and
courage. Perhaps you would be unsuccessful in your next attack.”
On Saturday evening, the 15th of Shawwaal, the Quraysh landed in Rawhaa.
The aforementioned discussion took place the same night. The night barely passed
when at the time of true dawn, the informer of Rasulullah  alerted him to
this discussion. Without delay, Rasulullah  despatched Hadhrat Bilal
 to enjoin the people of Madinah to make preparations to depart for battle.
Further, it was announced that only those who participated in the battle of Uhud
may accompany them on this expedition. Following this announcement, Hadhrat
Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah  appeared before Rasulullah  and submitted:
“O Rasulullah! My father was martyred in the battle of Uhud and since I was
caught up in taking care of my young sisters, I was unable to participate in the
battle of Uhud. I beg you to allow me to accompany you on this expedition.”
Rasulullah  thus allowed him to join in.
The objective of this advance was to demonstrate to the enemy that the spirit
of the Muslims was not broken. The Muslims were not weak and vulnerable.
Although the Sahaabah  were seriously wounded and exhausted and they
barely managed to get a single nights sleep, they promptly heeded to the call of
Rasulullah  and set out for war.
Chapter 15 331

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“The true beloved has placed a rope around my neck.
He may lead me wherever He wishes. (We are utterly subservient to His
commandments and wishes.)”
On Sunday the sixteenth of Shawwaal, Rasulullah  set out from Madinah
and halted at a place called Hamraa ul-Asad, which is about eight to ten miles from
Madinah. Whilst Rasulullah  was encamped at Hamraa ul-Asad, the
leader of the Khuzaa‘ah tribe, Ma’bad Khuzaa’i, appeared before Rasulullah
 to offer his condolences on the defeat of the Muslims in the battle of
Uhud. He also commiserated with Rasulullah  on the martyrdom of his
companions at Uhud.
When Ma’bad left Rasulullah , he proceeded to Abu Sufyaan who
expressed a keen desire to launch a fresh attack on Madinah. Ma’bad remarked:
“Muhammad has set out with an enormous force to fight and hound you.” The
moment Abu Sufyaan heard this he promptly left for Makkah.
Rasulullah  stayed for three days at Hamraa ul-Asad and left for
Madinah on Friday. In this regard, the following verse was revealed:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ۤ
ْ ‫ واﺗﻘ ۡﻮا ا‬$
‫ﺟ ٌﺮ‬ ْ
‫ﻦ اﺣ ﺴ ﻨﻮا ﻣﻨ‬ ‫ ﻟ‬ËN ‫ اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮح‬$ ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ اﺻﺎﺑ‬H ‫اﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑ ۡﻮا ﷲ واﻟﺮﺳ ۡﻮل ﻣ‬
ۡ ‫ﻳ‬¹ ْ ‫ا \ﻳۡﻦ‬

﴾۱۷۲ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬

“Those who responded to the call of Allah and His messenger after being wounded;
for such people who perform good deeds and cherish Allah-consciousness there is a
great reward.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verse 172]
Chapter 16
Miscellaneous events of 3 A.H.
1. In this year, during the month of Sha’baan, Rasulullah  married
Hadhrat Hafsah , the daughter of Hadhrat ‘Umar .
2. In this year, on the fifteenth of Ramadhaan, Hadhrat Hasan  was born
and just fifty days later, Sayyidah Faatimah  fell pregnant with Hadhrat
Husain .
3. In this year, during the month of Shawwaal, the prohibition of liquor was
revealed.
Sariyyah (expedition) of Abu Salamah ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul-

Asad  (4 A.H.)
On the first of Muharram 4 A.H., Rasulullah  received information that

the sons of Khuwaylid, Talihah and Salamah, were mobilising their people to
launch an attack on Rasulullah .
In response, Rasulullah  despatched one hundred and fifty
Muhaajireen and Ansaar under the command of Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdul-Asad
 to fend off any attack. The moment the enemy got wind of their attack, they
took flight and dispersed.
A number of camels and goats were captured, which they brought back to
Madinah. This war booty was distributed amongst the participants of this battle.
After deducting the one khums (one fifth) from the booty, each of them ended up
with seven camels and seven goats each.
333
Sariyyah (expedition) of ‘Abdullah bin Unais 
On Monday, the fifth of Muharram, Rasulullah  received information

that Khaalid bin Sufyaan Huzali Lihyaani was diligently amassing a force to attack
Rasulullah . As a pre-emptive strike, Rasulullah  sent ‘Abdullah
bin Unais  to assassinate him.
‘Abdullah bin Unais  met with him and with elusive tricks, when he was
presented with an opportunity he killed him and grasping the severed head, he fled
into a cave. A spider wove a web over the mouth of the cave. When his pursuers
searched the area and they came across the spider’s web covering the mouth of the
cave, they returned.
In due course, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah  left the cave. He would travel at night
and go into hiding during the day. Thus he made his way to Madinah on the 23rd
of Muharram and dumped Khaalid’s head before Rasulullah .
Rasulullah  was exceptionally delighted and presented him with a
staff saying:
ْ َّ َ‫َت‬
‫ فان المتخصين ف النة قليل‬، ‫ص ب ِه ِذه ِ ف النة‬
“Hold onto this staff and enter Jannah. People holding staffs and entering Jannah
would number very few.”
He then added: “This would be a symbol between you and I on the day of
Qiyaamah.”
All his life thereafter, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah  took painstaking care of this
staff. On his deathbed, he willed that the staff be placed with his shroud (kafan).
This is exactly what happened. His wish was carried out accordingly.
This man (Khaalid bin Sufyaan) was also rude and abusive (towards
Rasulullah ).
Musa bin ‘Aqabah says: “People claim that even before the arrival of
‘Abdullah bin Unais , Rasulullah  had already informed the
Sahaabah  of the assassination of Khaalid bin Sufyaan.”
Incident of Raj‘i
During the month of Safar, some members of the ‘Adal and Qaarah tribes appeared
before Rasulullah  and submitted: “O Rasulullah! Our people have
embraced Islam. So we request you to send us some people who would impart to us
the knowledge of the Qur-aan and the teachings of Islam.” Rasulullah 
sent ten Sahaabah  along with them. Some of these Sahaabah  were:
Chapter 16 335
1. ‘Aasim bin Saabit 

2. Marsad bin Abi Marsad 
3. ‘Abdullah bin Taariq 
4. Khubaib bin ‘Adi 
5. Zaid bin Dasinah 
6. Khaalid bin Abil-Bukair 
7. M‘utab bin ‘Ubaid , the brother of ‘Abdullah bin Taariq .
Rasulullah  appointed ‘Aasim bin Saabit  as an Ameer over them.
When these Sahaabah  reached Raj‘i, located between Makkah and
‘Asfaan, these disloyal tribesmen fell foul of their promise (they made to Rasulullah
) and alerted the Banu Lihyaan tribe. Marshalling two hundred warriors,
including one hundred archers, the Banu Lihyaan set out in ardent pursuit. As they
drew closer, Hadhrat ‘Aasim  and his companions clambered up a hillock.
The Banu Lihyaan called out to the Muslims: “Come down, we promise you
refuge and sanctuary.” Hadhrat ‘Aasim  replied: “I will never resort to the
sanctuary of a disbeliever.”
He then made the following dua:
َ َ َ ّٰ َ
‫اللهم اخبع َّنا َر ُس ۡولك‬
“O Allah! Inform Your Messenger of our plight.”
According to another narration, Allah Ta’ala accepted the dua of Hadhrat ‘Aasim
 and through divine revelation, He instantly enlightened Rasulullah
 about their plight. Rasulullah  then notified the Sahaabah
.
One of the duas Hadhrat ‘Aasim  made was:
‫ فاحم ¯ لم‬، ‫اللهم ان احم لك الوم دينك‬

“O Allah! Today I am safeguarding Your Deen. I beg you to safeguard my flesh (my
body from the disbelievers).”
Thereafter Hadhrat ‘Aasim , together with seven of his companions were
martyred whilst engaging the enemy in combat.
On the assurance of sanctuary and safety by the disbelievers, the remaining
three Sahaabah ‘Abdullah bin Taariq , Zaid bin Dasinah  and Khubaib
bin ‘Adi  descended from the hillock. However, the instant they came down,
the disbelievers tied up their arms and legs. To this ‘Abdullah bin Taariq 
remarked: “This is the foremost betrayal. You are acting treacherously right at the
beginning; I wonder what the future would hold?”
Saying this, he refused to go with them. The disbelievers dragged him on the
ground and killed him. His remaining two companions, Hadhrat Khubaib 
and Hadhrat Zaid  were taken to Makkah where they were sold as slaves.
Safwaan bin Umayyah (whose father Ummayyah bin Khalaf was killed at
Badr) purchased Hadhrat Zaid  with the sole purpose of putting him to death
in retaliation for the death of his father. Haaris bin ‘Aamir was killed in Badr at the
hands of Hadhrat Khubaib . Thus the sons of Haaris purchased Khubaib.
Safwaan considered any delay in the killing of his prisoner to be inappropriate.
Hence, he sent Hadhrat Zaid  with his slave Nastaas out of the Haram area to
a place called Tan‘eem to kill him. A group of the Quraysh also gathered to watch
this spectacle of death. One of the spectators was Abu Sufyaan bin Harb.
As Hadhrat Zaid  was brought for execution, Abu Sufyaan tauntingly
asked: “O Zaid! I ask you to swear in the name of Allah, would you not be
delighted to be set free and Muhammad executed in your place whilst you are
relaxing comfortably in your home?”
Annoyed by this remark, Hadhrat Zaid  fervently retorted: “By Allah! I
will not tolerate even a thorn pricking Muhammad  on his foot whilst I
am relaxing at home.”
To this Abu Sufyaan commented: “I have not witnessed anyone as fanatically
devoted, fervently committed and ardently selfless as the companions of
Muhammad are devoted to him.”
Thereafter, Nastaas put Hadhrat Zaid  to death.
Later on in life, Nastaas embraced Islam.
Hadhrat Khubaib , on the other hand, stayed in their detention until the
end of the month of Muharram. As he was close to his date of execution, he asked
Zainab bint Haaris (who later embraced Islam) for a blade to clean himself. She
furnished him with a blade and got busy with her housework. Zainab relates: “A
little while later I was stunned to see my son calmly sitting on his lap with a blade
in his (our captive’s) hand. I was somewhat alarmed at this sight.”
On witnessing my distress, Hadhrat Khubaib  commented: “Are you
apprehensive over me killing this child? Never! Insha Allah, I will never do
something like this. We folks are neither treacherous nor deceitful.”
Hadhrat Zainab would frequently recall this moment and comment:
‫ لقد رأيته يأك من قطعة عنب وما‬، ‫مارأيت اسيا قط خيا من خبيب‬
ّٰ
4‫رزق رزقه ا‬O‫بمكة يومئذ ثمرة وانه لموثق ف الديد وما كن ا‬
“I have not come across a captive better than Khubaib. I noticed him eating from a
bunch of grapes whereas there was not a piece of fresh fruit available in Makkah at
Chapter 16 337
that time. And furthermore, he was fettered in shackles. He could not have brought
it from anywhere. This was nothing but the sustenance of Allah provided to him.”
As he was brought to Tan‘eem for execution, he appealed to them to allow him to
perform two Rakaats of Salaah. They permitted him and as he completed his two
Rakaats, he addressed the disbelievers saying: “I did not prolong my Salaah because
you may accuse me of doing so for fear of my imminent death.” He then raised his
hands and made the following dua:
ً ّٰ
‫ تبق منهم احدا‬O‫ و‬،‫ واقتلهم بددا‬،‫اللهم احصهم عددا‬
“O Allah, one by one kill them all and do not leave anyone behind.”
He then recited the following stanzas:
‫ مـصع‬4 ‫< اي شق كن‬ ‫لست ابا¯ حي اقتل مسلما‬

“I am not disturbed in the least if I am killed as a Muslim, regardless of the side I
fall on provided it is for Allah alone.
‫ل وان يشا ٔ يبارك < اوصال شلو ُم َم َّزع‬O‫وذلك ف ذات ا‬

And this is solely for the pleasure of Allah. If He wishes, He can bless the joints of
my shattered body.”
Hadhrat Khubaib  was then crucified and martyred. For future generations,
he also instituted a tradition of two Rakaat Salaah for every person condemned to
death.
Zaid bin Haarisah  was also beset by a similar incident during the life of
Rasulullah . On his return from Taaif, Zaid  hired a mule. The
owner of the mule was also with him. En route, the owner manoeuvred the mule
into an eerily desolate area where a number of bodies of his previous victims were
strewn about. As he was about to kill him, Zaid  asked him for a respite of
just two Rakaat of Salaah. The man mockingly remarked: “Well, go ahead and
perform your Salaah. Those before you also performed Salaah but to no avail.”
As Zaid  completed his two Rakaat, the man drew closer to finish him
off. The moment Hadhrat Zaid  spotted his menacing presence advancing
towards him, he uttered: “Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen! (O Most Merciful of all the
merciful).”
These words of Ism-e-A‘zam barely left his tongue when the man heard a
voice from the unseen charging: “Do not kill him.” Terrified of this bewildering
voice from the unseen, this man started looking about. When he detected no
physical presence, he advanced once again with this evil scheme. Hadhrat Zaid
 again uttered: “Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen!” Once more the man heard a
threatening sound and he apprehensively withdrew. Like before, he again strode

towards him and yet again, Hadhrat Zaid  uttered “Yaa Arhamar-
Raahimeen!”
He barely said Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen the third time when suddenly before
him appeared a rider wielding a spear tipped with a blazing coal. This rider
propelled the spear with such force that it went straight through the murderer and
emerged from his back. He was dead before he fell to the ground.
Thereafter, the rider addressed Hadhrat Zaid  and said: “When you said
Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen the first time, I was on the seventh sky and when you
uttered these words a second time, I was at the sky of this world and I was already
before you when you uttered them the third time.”
Rasulullah  said: “A person who says Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen
thrice, a divinely appointed angel responds to his entreaty by saying: ‘Arhamur-
Raahimeen (Allah Ta’ala) has turned His attention towards you. Lay bare your
request before Him.’”
A similar incident also happened to Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari . Ubayy bin
K‘ab  and Anas bin Maalik  narrate: “Amongst the companions of
Rasulullah , Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari  was an exceptionally ardent
devotee and a very saintly man. He was a phenomenally Allah-conscious man. He
was also a prominent businessman. He would often undertake business journeys.
On one of his trade expeditions he came across a fully equipped bandit armed with
a sword, spear and cutlass (short broad-bladed curved sword). The bandit
demanded: ‘Leave your goods here. I want to kill you.’
Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari  said: ‘If wealth is what you seek, my goods are
accessible to you. Why do you need to kill me also?’ The bandit replied: ‘No, it is
only your life I desire.’
To this Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari  replied: ‘Okay, at least allow me to
perform my Salaah.’ The bandit sarcastically remarked: ‘Sure, you may perform as
much Salaah as you wish.”
Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari  performed wudhu, offered Salaah and made the
following dua:
ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ
‫يا َود ۡود يَا ذوال َع ۡرش المجيد يا ف َّعال لما تريد اسالك بعزتك الت‬
‫يضام و بنورك الي مل اركن عرشك ان‬O ‫ترام وملكك الي‬O
‫تكفين ش هذ اللص يا مغيث اغثن‬
‘Yaa Wadudu Yaa Zul-‘Arshil-Majeed. Yaa Fa‘aalul-Limaa Tureed. Asaluka Bi
‘Izzatikallati Laa Turaam wa Mulkikallazi Laa Yudaam wa Bi Noorikallazi Mala’
Arkaana ‘Arshika An Takfiyani Sharra Haazallis. Yaa Mugheeth, Aghithni.’
Chapter 16 339
O The Most Loving One! O The Possessor of the exalted throne! O The One who
does as He wishes! I beg of You by Your Majesty which cannot be attained, by
Your Kingdom in which no soul is oppressed and by Your Light which
illuminates the pillars of Your Throne to protect me from the evil of this thief! O
Helper! Help me.
He said the aforementioned words thrice. In an instant he caught sight of a rider
armed with a spear looming towards the bandit whom he rapidly finished off.
Abu Mu‘allaq Ansaari  then gaped at the newcomer and asked: ‘Who
are you?’ He replied: ‘Allah despatched me to offer you assistance and help. I am
an angel of the fourth heaven. When you recited this dua the first time, I heard
knocking sounds on the doors of the heavens. When you recited it the second time,
I heard the bellowing shrieks of the dwellers of the heavens. When you recited the
dua for the third time, I said to myself, this is indisputably the voice of a person in
distress and anguish. At that time, I requested Allah Ta’ala to appoint me as that
bandit’s executioner.’
The angel then added: ‘Glad tidings for you. Bear in mind that the person who
offers four Rakaat of Salaah after performing Wudhu and then makes the
aforementioned dua, his dua is certainly accepted, whether he is in distress or not.’”
In the battle of Uhud, Hadhrat ‘Aasim  killed two sons of Salaafah bint
Sa’eed. Fuelled by the rage of vengeance, she vowed to drink wine in the skull of
‘Aasim . Some people of the Huzail tribe went to fetch ‘Aasim’s head with
the aim of selling his head to Salaafah for a princely sum of money.
Salaafah announced that the person who brings ‘Aasim’s head will be
rewarded with a handsome prize of a hundred camels.
Hadhrat ‘Aasim  had already made dua previously for the safety and
protection of his body. Allah Ta’ala made miraculous arrangements for the
protection of his body from his enemies by posting a swarm of wasps around his
body. No disbeliever dared to venture nearby. As they drew closer to his body and
set eyes on this strange scene, they said: “We will return at night when the wasps
disappear and then we will sever his head.” However, as the night approached, a
sudden flood washed his body away leaving them all furiously disappointed.
Hadhrat ‘Aasim  pledged to Allah Ta’ala that neither should he touch a
mushrik (disbeliever) nor should a mushrik touch him.
Whenever Hadhrat ‘Aasim  was mentioned in the presence of Hadhrat
‘Umar , he would comment: “Allah Ta’ala protects some of His special
servants even after their death as He protected them during their lifetime.”
Hadhrat Khubaib’s  body was left suspended on the cross by the
disbelievers of Makkah. Rasulullah  sent Hadhrat Zubair  and
Hadhrat Miqdaad  from Madinah to Makkah to bring his body down. As
they landed in Tan‘eem, they spotted forty guards lying around the cross. Taking
advantage of their negligence, they swiftly brought his body down from the cross
and loaded it on their horse. Although he was hanging for forty days on the cross,
his body was still fresh without any perceptible change.
When the disbelievers opened their eyes and found the body missing, they
scuttled about in search of it. They eventually apprehended Hadhrat Zubair 
and Hadhrat Miqdaad . Hadhrat Zubair  gently lowered the body to
the ground and almost immediately the ground split open and swallowed his body.
This is why, Hadhrat Khubaib  was distinguished as Bali‘ul-Ard (one
swallowed by the earth).
According to another narration, when Hadhrat Khubaib  was martyred,
his face was facing the Qiblah. The moment the disbelievers attempted to turn his
face away from the Qiblah, his face miraculously turned back towards the Qiblah.
They attempted this repeatedly but overwhelmed they eventually left him alone.
Chapter 17
The Incident of Bi’r Ma‘unah
In the same month of Safar, another momentous incident occurred. ‘Aamir bin
Maalik Abu Baraa appeared before Rasulullah  and offered him a gift, but
Rasulullah  declined his offer. Rasulullah  then invited him to
Islam but Abu Baraa neither accepted nor denied Islam but said: “If you send some
of your companions towards Najd (the Arabian highlands) with the sole purpose of
inviting others to Islam, I cherish a sincere hope that they will embrace Islam.”
Rasulullah  replied: “I am anxious about the menace these companions
may face from the inhabitants of Najd.” Abu Baraa replied: “I give you my word. I
vouch for their safety.”
Rasulullah  sent seventy Sahaabah  with him. This august
group was referred to as the Qurra (the Qaaris). Rasulullah  appointed
Munzir bin ‘Amr Saa‘idi  as an Ameer over them.
This was an incredibly devout and faithful group of souls. During the day they
would collect firewood, which they would sell in the evening and buy food for the
Ashaab-e-Suffah. Part of the night they would spend in learning and teaching the
Qur-aan and part of it in Tahajjud Salaah.
This group of saintly personages set off and landed in a place called Bi’r
Ma’unah. Rasulullah  had addressed a letter to ‘Aamir bin Tufail (leader
of the Banu ‘Aamir tribe and nephew of Abu Baraa) and handed this letter over to
Haraam bin Milhaan , the uncle (mother’s brother) of Hadhrat Anas .
As they landed in Bi’r Ma’unah, Haraam bin Milhaan appeared before ‘Aamir
bin Tufail with this blessed letter but even before ‘Aamir bin Tufail could read the
letter, he gestured to another person to kill him. He thrust a spear from the back
that penetrated right through him. At this moment, the following words were on
his tongue:
341
ّٰ
‫ اكب ! فزت و رب الكعبة‬4‫ا‬
“Allahu Akbar! Allah is the Greatest. I swear by the Lord of the K‘abah, I am
victorious.”
‘Aamir bin Tufail then incited his people to kill the rest of the Sahaabah  as
well but owing to the protection offered by ‘Aamir’s uncle, Abu Baraa, the Banu
‘Aamir tribe refused to support him.
When ‘Aamir bin Tufail noticed their aversion to his sinister plans and he
despaired of their support, he approached the Banu Sulaim tribe for help. The tribes
of ‘Usayyah, R‘al and Zakwaan willingly responded to his call for help. Drawn
together, they unjustly put all these Sahaabah  to death. Only K‘ab bin Zaid
Ansaari  was saved. He was scarcely alive and he was left for dead. He later
regained consciousness and lived for some time thereafter. He was martyred in the
expedition of Khandaq (trench). Apart from him, another two Sahaabah were also
spared; Munzir bin Muhammad  and ‘Amr bin Umayyah . These two
Sahaabah were grazing the animals in the fields when this incident occurred. They
were busy grazing their animals when suddenly they caught sight of a huge flock
of birds in the sky. Alarmed by this sight, they figured that something was not
right. As they approached their camp, they found their companions drenched in
blood ‘lying on beds of martyrdom’. They consulted with one another on what
action to take. ‘Amr bin Umayyah suggested they return to Madinah and inform
Rasulullah  about this. Munzir replied: “He will somehow get the news.
Why should we forfeit our chance of martyrdom?”
Nonetheless, they advanced to engage the enemy in battle. Hadhrat Munzir
 was martyred whilst fighting and ‘Amr bin Umayyah  was captured.
They took ‘Amr bin Umayyah  to ‘Aamir bin Tufail, who shaved off his
hair and released him saying: “My mother vowed to emancipate a slave. In
execution of this vow, I set you free.”
In this expedition, Abu Bakr’s  emancipated slave, ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah
 was also martyred and his body was raised to the heavens. In this regard,
‘Aamir bin Tufail asked his tribesmen:
‫رض حت رايت‬O‫من الرجل منهم لما قتل رايته رفع بي السماء وا‬
‫السماء من دونه‬
“Who was this man from amongst the Muslims, when he was killed I noticed his
body lifted between the sky and the earth until his body disappeared within the
sky?”
The people replied: “It was ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah .”
Chapter 17 343
According to the narration of Bukhaari, ‘Aamir bin Tufail remarked:
‫نظر ا¯ السماء بينه‬O ‫لقد رايته بعد ما قتل رفع ا¯ السماء حت ان‬
‫رض ثم وضع‬O‫و بي ا‬
“After he was killed, I witnessed his body being lifted to the sky as though it was
suspended between the earth and sky. Thereafter it was put back on the earth.”
Jabbaar bin Salma, the killer of ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah , relates: “When I
stabbed ‘Aamir bin Fuhayrah with my spear, he cried out: ‘I swear by the Lord of
the K‘abah! I have reached my goal.’
On hearing these words, I was left astounded. I thought, what goal could he
have reached? When I narrated this incident to Dahhaak bin Sufyaan , he
explained: ‘He meant that he has reached his goal of Jannah.’ On hearing this
explanation, I embraced Islam.”
He explains:
‫ودعن ذلك ما رأيت من عمر بن فهية من دفعه ا¯ السماء علوا‬

“What stirred me to embrace Islam is that I witnessed the body of ‘Aamir bin
Fuhayrah  being lifted to the sky.”
When Dahhaak  wrote to Rasulullah  about this phenomenal
incident, Rasulullah  responded by explaining:
‫ئكة وارت جثته ف عليي‬K‫ان الم‬

“The angels have concealed his body in the “Illiyyeen.”
According to another narration, the angels hid his body away from the disbelievers
and they were unable to determine its exact location.
When Rasulullah  was notified of the massacre of his Sahaabah
 in this expedition, he was driven to such anguish that never in his life was
he so grief-stricken. For a whole month he continued cursing these people in the
Qunoot of Fajr Salaah. He then addressed the Sahaabah  saying: “Your
friends and beloved companions were martyred. They requested Allah Ta’ala to
inform me that they have met their Lord and that they are pleased with Him and
He is pleased with them.”
Battle of Banu Nazeer - Rabi’ul-Awwal 4 A.H.

As ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damari  (one of the survivors of the expedition of Bi’r
Ma’unah) was returning to Madinah, he came across two disbelievers from the
Banu ‘Aamir tribe who joined him on his journey. When they reached a place
called Qanaat, they took shelter in one of the orchards. When these two
disbelievers fell off to sleep, ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damiri reflected that the leader of
their tribe ‘Aamir bin Tufail killed seventy Muslims. It was presently inconceivable
to avenge the deaths of all of them. Why don’t I avenge the deaths of some of
them?, he thought. On this presumption, he killed both of them whereas Rasulullah
 had a peace agreement with this tribe, of which ‘Amr bin Umayyah
Damiri had absolutely no knowledge of.
When he reached Madinah and notified Rasulullah  about his
actions, Rasulullah  remarked: “We had a peace agreement with them.
We ought to pay the blood money for both of them.” Rasulullah  then
remitted their blood money to their tribe.
Since the Banu Nazeer tribe was also an ally of the Banu ‘Aamir, in terms of
the peace treaty, part of the blood money was payable by the Banu Nazeer. To
solicit some assistance in payment of this blood money, Rasulullah 
decided to approach the Banu Nazeer. He set off in the company of, amongst
others, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Usmaan, Zubair, Talhah, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf,
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz, Usaid bin Hudhair and S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah .
Rasulullah  seated himself in the shade of a wall. Outwardly, the
Banu Nazeer received Rasulullah  with an impressive display of courtesy
and pledged to assist in the payment of the blood money but secretly they proposed
to post someone on top of the roof and roll a heavy boulder onto his head and get
rid of him once and for all.
However, Sallaam bin Mishkam warned his tribesmen: “No! Do not ever do
that. By Allah, his Lord would surely inform him of your malicious intentions.
Furthermore, this is tantamount to a violation of our peace treaty with him.”
No sooner had they proposed this than Jibraa’eel  brought down divine
revelation enlightening Rasulullah  about their wicked intentions.
Rasulullah  swiftly got up and headed off towards Madinah. Rasulullah
 got up as though he was getting up for some temporary need. This is
why the Sahaabah  continued sitting where they were. When the Jews learnt
of Rasulullah’s  departure, they were pitched into a cauldron of
simmering despair. One of their Jewish tribesmen, Kinaanah bin Huwayraa
remarked: “Don’t you know why Muhammad got up from there? By Allah, he was
promptly informed about your treachery. By Allah, he is a messenger of Allah.”
When Rasulullah  was delayed in his return, the Sahaabah 
also got up and went out in search of him towards Madinah. Rasulullah 
updated them about the betrayal of the Jews and issued a directive to attack the
Banu Nazeer.
Chapter 17 345
Appointing ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum  as an Ameer over Madinah,

Rasulullah  set off for the Banu Nazeer and laid siege to them. The Banu
Nazeer quickly darted into their fortresses and shut the doors. On the one hand
they were conceited with their ‘impregnable’ and secure fortresses and on the other
hand, their arrogance was given a boost when ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy and the other
hypocrites assured them that they could count on their support. However, none of
them dared to confront the Muslims.
Furthermore, the Banu Nazeer engaged in subsequent acts of blatant treachery.
They sent a message to Rasulullah  requesting him to come with three
people for a discussion with three of their rabbis. They assured Rasulullah
 that if these rabbis embrace Islam all of them would promptly follow
suit. However, privately they advised these three rabbis that just before they are to
have discussions with Rasulullah , they should hide daggers within their
clothing and at the first opportunity they should do away with him.
Long before these people came for a discussion, Rasulullah  was
notified of their brazen deceitfulness.
In short, the repeated acts of treachery and betrayal of the Banu Nazeer
compelled Rasulullah  to issue a directive of launching an attack against
them. The siege lasted for fifteen days. Rasulullah  also ordered their
palms and orchards to be set on fire. Eventually, utterly grieved and facing huge
losses, they begged for clemency.
Rasulullah  responded by saying: “You have ten days to empty out
your homes. You may take your wives, families and children wherever you wish.
With the exception of your weapons, you may also carry away as much goods as
your camels and conveyances can bear. You have unrestrained permission to take
away as much as you wish.”
Driven by greed, they even removed the doors and doorframes of their houses
and where possible, lugged them away on their camels. In this manner, they were
banished from Madinah. Most of them sought refuge in Khaybar whilst some of
them settled down in Syria. Their leaders, Huyayy bin Akhtab, Kinaanah bin Rab’i
and Sallaam bin Abil-Haqeeq were also amongst those who decided to settle down
in Khaybar.
Rasulullah  then distributed their remaining goods amongst the
Muhaajireen to lessen the burden from the shoulders of the Ansaar although the
Ansaar, due to their sincerity and selflessness, did not regard this as a burden but
as a source of coolness to their eyes and a balm to their hearts. Nonetheless,
Rasulullah  summoned the Ansaar and formally addressed them. In this
address, after praising Allah Ta’ala he paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Ansaar
and their good conduct to the fellow brethren, the Muhaajireen. He then said: “O
people of the Ansaar! If you wish I am prepared to distribute the wealth of the
Banu Nazeer equally between you and the Muhaajireen and they will continue
sharing your wealth as in the past or if you wish, I will distribute it solely amongst
the Muhaajireen (and due to their subsequent independence from you) they will
then vacate your homes.”
S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  and S‘ad bin Mu’aaz , the leaders of the
Ansaar submitted: “O Rasulullah ! From the depths of our hearts, we
would be delighted if you distribute this wealth amongst the Muhaajireen only and
despite this, they are at liberty to live in our homes and partake of our meals, as in
the past.”
According to another narration, the Ansaar submitted: “O Rasulullah
! You may distribute this wealth solely amongst the Muhaajireen.
Moreover, it would be our pleasure if you take whatever you wish from our wealth
and distribute it amongst them.”
Such soothing words made Rasulullah  break out in cheerful delight
and he made the following dua for them:
‫نصار‬O‫نصار وابناء ا‬O‫اللهم ارحم ا‬

“O Allah! Shower Your special compassion upon the Ansaar and the offspring of the
Ansaar.”
Abu Bakr  remarked:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ مامثلنا ومثلكم‬، 4‫نصار ! فوا‬O‫ خيا يا معش ا‬4‫جزاكم ا‬
‫كما قال الغنوي‬O‫ا‬
“May Allah reward you favourably, O Ansaar! By Allah, the similitude between you
and us can only be described in the words of the poet Ghanawi, when he says:
ّٰ
‫بنا نعلنا ف الواطئي فزلت‬ ‫ عنا جعفرا حي ازلقت‬4‫جزى ا‬
‫ق الي يلقون منا لملت‬K‫ت‬ ‫ابوا ان يملون ولو ان امنا‬

‘May Allah reward Ja’far, when our feet slipped but he fell, this would not deter
him from offering additional assistance to us. Perchance, if our own mothers were
to be confronted with such a situation, they would probably be deterred.’”
Rasulullah  then distributed the entire wealth amongst the Muhaajireen
and from the Ansaar, only Abu Dujaanah  and Sahal bin Hunaif , due
to their poverty, were awarded a share of it.
As a consequence of this expedition, only two people from the Banu Nazeer
embraced Islam; Yaameen bin ‘Umair  and Abu Sa’eed bin Wahab .
Their wealth and property were left intact. They remained in control of their
property.
Chapter 17 347
Surah Hashr was revealed on account of this expedition. ‘Abdullah bin

‘Abbaas  would refer to this Surah as ‘the Surah of Banu Nazeer. In this
Surah, Allah Ta’ala explains the laws relating to Maal-e-Fayy (war booty) and its
recipients.
Prohibition of liquor
The injunction prohibiting liquor was revealed during this expedition.
Expedition of Zaatur-Riqaa - Jumaadal-Awwal 4 A.H.

After the expedition of Banu Nazeer, from Rabi‘ul-Awwal to the beginning of
Jumaadal-Awwal, Rasulullah  stayed in Madinah.
During the early days of the month of Jumaadal-Awwal, Rasulullah 
received information that the Banu Mahaarib and the Banu Sa’labah tribes were
amassing their troops in preparation for war against Rasulullah .
In the company of four hundred Sahaabah , Rasulullah  set
off towards Najd. When Rasulullah  landed at Najd, he met a few
members of the Ghitfaan tribe but there was no occasion for all out combat. On
this occasion, Rasulullah  performed Salaatul-Khawf (Salaah performed
in times of fear with certain restrictions lifted) with the people.
Abu Ash’ari  says: “This expedition was referred to as Zaatur-Riqaa.
Riqaa means rags or patches. Due to our walking on difficult terrain, our feet
became cracked and we were forced to wrap them in rags and pieces of cloth,
hence the name ‘the expedition of rags’.”
Ibn S‘ad , however, says: “Zaatur-Riqaa is a name of a mountain where
Rasulullah  camped during this expedition. It had black, white and red
signs on it.”
On his return, Rasulullah  took a nap beneath a shade-bearing tree
on which he had hung his sword. A disbeliever silently sneaked up to him,
unsheathed Rasulullah’s  sword and growled: “Tell me, who will protect
you from me?” Rasulullah  calmly responded: “Allah.”
Jibraa’eel  suddenly delivered a punch to his chest. The sword fell out of
his hands. Rasulullah  retrieved it and asked: “Who will protect you from
me?” The man replied: “Nobody.” Rasulullah  said: “Go! I have pardoned
you.”
This man subsequently embraced Islam and returned to his people and invited
them towards Islam. A number of people embraced Islam at his behest.
This man’s name was Ghawrith bin Haaris.
When he left this area, Rasulullah  then stopped over at a mountain

pass. He appointed ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  and ‘Abbaad bin Bishr  as
sentinels over the pass. Amongst themselves they agreed that ‘Abbaad would stand
guard for the first half of the night and ‘Ammaar the latter half. As per their
arrangement, ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  took rest whilst ‘Abbaad bin Bishr 
devoted himself to a vigil of Ibaadat and commenced his Salaah.
A disbeliever came by and concluded that this man surely looks like the sentry
for tonight’s watch. He fired off an arrow that landed dead on its mark but genuine
devotion to his true Master had penetrated every fibre of ‘Abbaad bin Bishr’s
 being. He was saturated in his love for his Lord and the sweetness of his
faith had permeated the depths of his heart. How then, could an arrow and
spearhead disturb his devotions? He continued performing his Salaah in the same
serene manner. He calmly pulled out the arrow and tossed it aside. The enemy
discharged a second arrow and he took that out also and flung it aside. The enemy
then let loose a third arrow.
Overcome with fear of the enemy ambushing them and for fear of defeating
the purpose of their appointment over the pass by Rasulullah , he
completed his Salaah and woke his friend up saying: “Get up, I am wounded.” On
observing him getting his companion up, the enemy bolted.
When ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir  got up and noticed the blood streaming
down his body, he remarked: “Subhaanallah! Why did you not get me up the
moment the first arrow struck you?” He replied: “I was busy reciting a certain
Surah of the Qur-aan and I felt it inappropriate to cut it short. When a volley of
arrows started raining down on me, I terminated my Salaah and got you up. I
swear by Allah, if it was not for the instructions of Rasulullah , my life
would have terminated before the termination of my Salaah.”
Expedition of the Badr - Sha‘baan 4 A.H.

After his return from the expedition of Zaatur-Riqaa, Rasulullah 
remained in Madinah until the end of Rajab. On his return from Uhud, Rasulullah
 had promised Abu Sufyaan to meet at Badr for another encounter in the
forthcoming year, Rasulullah  set out for Badr in the company of fifteen
hundred Sahaabah  in the month of Sha’baan. He waited for eight long days
at Badr for Abu Sufyaan but to no avail.
In the company of a number of Makkans, Abu Sufyaan had also set out for
battle but when he reached Marruz-Zahraan he lost his nerve and turned back
saying: “This is a year of famine and high prices and not the year of war and
confrontation.”
Following a wait of eight days, when Rasulullah  lost all hope of
waging war against them, he returned to Madinah.
Chapter 17 349
On his return from Uhud, although openly Abu Sufyaan had pledged to fight
at Badr in the forthcoming year, at heart he was cowed into terror. Secretly he
hoped Rasulullah  would also not make it to Badr so that he did not have
to suffer further humiliation and indignity whilst holding the Muslims liable (for
not making it to the meeting). A person by the name of Nu‘aim bin Mas’ood was
going to Madinah. Abu Sufyaan offered him some money to spread a rumour
amongst the Muslims of Madinah that the Makkans were diligently assembling a
massive force to root out the Muslims once and for all. Hence, it would be better
for the Muslims not to advance against such a colossal army. Abu Sufyaan’s
objective was to intimidate the Muslims with such rumours and to dissuade them
from coming out to battle.
On hearing such news, the spirit of Imaan of the Muslims was given a further
boost. Chanting the words Hasbunallah Wa N‘imal-Wakeel they set out for Badr.
Near Badr, a bazaar used to be held. For three days the Muslims engaged in
trade and received substantial profits from their unexpected commercial activities.
They returned to Madinah with goodness and blessings. In this regard, the
following verses were revealed:
ْ ْ ۡ ْ ۤ
‫ﺟ ٌﺮ‬ ْ ‫ واﺗﻘ ۡﻮا ا‬$
‫ﻦ اﺣ ﺴ ﻨﻮا ﻣﻨ‬
ْ ۡ ‫ﻳ‬¹ ‫ ﻟ‬ËN ‫ اﻟ ﻘ ْﺮح‬$ ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ اﺻﺎﺑ‬H ‫اﺳﺘﺠﺎﺑ ۡﻮا ﷲ واﻟﺮﺳ ۡﻮل ﻣ‬ ْ ‫ا \ﻳۡﻦ‬

ْ ْ
‫ﻫ ْﻢ اﻳ ۡ ﻤﺎﻧًﺎ وﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا‬ ‫اد‬ ‫ اﻟﻨﺎس ان اﻟﻨﺎس ﻗﺪ ﺟﻤﻌ ۡﻮا ﻟﻜ ْﻢ ﻓﺎﺧﺸ ْﻮﻫ ْﻢ ﻓﺰ‬$‫﴾ ا \ﻳۡﻦ ﻗﺎل ﻟ‬۱۷۲ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬

ْ ْ ْ ۡ
ْ ‫﴾ ﻓﺎﻧﻘﻠﺒ ۡﻮا ﺑﻨﻌﻤ ٍﺔ ﻣﻦ اﷲ وﻓﻀﻞ ﻟ ْﻢ ﻳﻤﺴ ْﺴ‬۱۷۳﴿ ‫ ۡﻴﻞ‬X‫ﺣ ْﺴﺒﻨﺎ اﷲ وﻧﻌﻢ اﻟﻮ‬ ْ ْ
‫ و اﺗﺒ ﻌ ۡﻮا‬º ٌ‫ ﺳ ۡﻮء‬$
ٍ
ۡ ٗ ‫﴾ اﻧﻤﺎ ٰذﻟﻜﻢ اﻟﺸ ۡﻴ ٰﻄﻦ ﻳﺨﻮف ا ْوﻟﻴﺂء‬۱۷۴﴿ ‫ واﷲ ذ ۡوﻓﻀﻞ ﻋﻈ ۡﻴﻢ‬M ‫ر ْﺿﻮان اﷲ‬ ْ
‫ﻫ ْﻢ‬ ‫ﺨﺎﻓﻮ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻼ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ Ì ‫ه‬
ٍ ٍ
ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
﴾۱۷۵﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻛﻨ ﺘﻢ ﻣﺆﻣﻨ‬ ‫ﺧﺎﻓﻮن ان‬ ‫و‬
“Those who responded (to the call of) Allah and His messenger after they were
wounded, for those who do good amongst them and adopt taqwa, is a great reward.
Those (believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said: ‘Verily the people (the
Makkans) have amassed (their forces) against you, so fear them.’ but this
(intimidating statement) only increased them in faith and they (Muslims) said:
‘Allah alone is sufficient for us’ and He is the best disposer (of all affairs).’ So they
returned with grace and bounty from Allah. No harm afflicted them and they
pursued the pleasure of Allah. Allah is the owner of great bounty. It was shaytaan
who terrified his supporters (disbelievers). So do not fear them but fear Me if you
are believers.” [Surah Aal-‘Imraan verses 172-175]
Commentary: In this verse Allah Ta’ala refers to a rumour-monger (or
propagandist) as a shaytaan when He says: ‘It was shaytaan who terrified his
supporters’. Allah Ta’ala described the antidote to this propaganda by exhorting
the Muslims to continue with their preparations for Jihaad to the best of their
abilities and to recite Hasbunallah Wa Ni‘mal-Wakeel. In other words, place your

trust firmly in Allah Ta’ala and as shaytaan is wont to do, do not spread false
rumours about your enemies. Respond to lies with the truth. Allah forbid, if you
were to respond to these lies with additional lies, what then is the benefit of this?
Islam does not permit slander even against its enemies.
Miscellaneous Incidents of 4 A.H.

1. During Jumaadal-Awwal of this year, ‘Abdullah, the son of Hadhrat ‘Usmaan
bin Affaan  passed away at the age of six.
2. During the month of Sha’baan of this year, Hadhrat Husain  was born.
3. In Ramadhaan of this year, Rasulullah  married Hadhrat Zainab
bint Khuzaymah  Ummul-Masaakeen (mother of the destitute).
4. During Shawwaal of this year, Rasulullah  married Hadhrat Umme
Salamah .
5. In the same year Rasulullah  instructed Hadhrat Zaid bin Saabit
 to learn to read and write Hebrew as he was not comfortable with the
Jews reading for him.
6. According to the most acknowledged reports, Hijaab (pardah) was ordained in
this year as well. Some are of the opinion that it was ordained in 3 A.H. whilst
others maintain that it was prescribed in 5 A.H.
Expedition of Dawmatul Jandal

During Rabi‘ul-Awwal, Rasulullah  received word that the inhabitants of
Dawmatul-Jandal were preparing to launch an attack against Madinah. In the
company of one thousand Sahaabah , Rasulullah  set out for
Dawmatul-Jandal on the 25th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal 5 A.H. The moment they sensed
the looming advent of the Muslim army, they rapidly scattered away. Without any
form of physical combat, Rasulullah  returned to Madinah on the 20th of
Rabi’us-Saani.
Expedition of Muraysi’ or Banu Mustaliq

Rasulullah  received news that Haaris bin Abi Diraar, the leader of the
Banu Mustaliq tribe had gathered a huge force and was preparing to launch an
attack against the Muslims. Rasulullah  sent Buraydah bin Husaib Aslami
 to confirm the accuracy of this intelligence. When Buraydah  returned
Chapter 17 351
and confirmed the truth of this report, Rasulullah  instructed the

Sahaabah  to make preparations for battle.
The Sahaabah  were battle-ready within moments of this prophetic
command. They set out with thirty horses. Of these, twenty belonged to the Ansaar
whilst the remaining ten to the Muhaajireen.
On this occasion, driven by the prospective allure of abundant booty, a large
group of hypocrites, who had never joined a single expedition before this, also
accompanied them.
Rasulullah  appointed Zaid bin Haarisah  as his representative
in Madinah and from the Azwaaj (pure wives) he took along Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah
 and Hadhrat Umme Salamah  with him. On Monday the 2nd of
Sha’baan they set forth.
With lightning speed they launched an attack on the enemy forces catching
them by total surprise. As the Muslim army was on the verge of launching an
attack, the kuffaar were obliviously engaged in watering their animals. They were
unable to withstand this sudden assault. Ten men were promptly despatched to
their deaths. The remaining men, women, children and the elderly were taken as
prisoners and their wealth taken as spoils of war. The Muslims seized two thousand
camels and five thousand goats. Two hundred families were captured as prisoners.
Amongst these prisoners was Juwayriyyah, the daughter of Haaris bin Abi Diraar,
the leader of the Banu Mustaliq. When the spoils of war were distributed amongst
the Mujaahideen, Juwayriyyah fell into the lot of Saabit bin Qays . He made
her a Mukaatabah. In other words, he guaranteed her emancipation on the
payment of a certain sum of money.
Juwayriyyah  appeared before Rasulullah  and submitted: “O
Rasulullah! You are well aware that I am Juwayriyyah, the daughter of the leader
of the Banu Mustaliq tribe, Haaris bin Abi Diraar. The conditions of my capture are
not unknown to you. During the distribution, I fell into the lot of Saabit bin Qays
and he has made me a Mukaatabah. I now stand before you appealing for your
assistance in paying off this Kitaabah.”
Rasulullah  replied: “I suggest something far more superior than
that. If you wish, I will pay on your behalf the Kitaabah that is due and I will set
you free and take you in marriage.” Hadhrat Juwayriyyah  replied: “This will
be most pleasing to me.”
From the very outset Hadhrat Juwayriyyah  wanted to be set free.
Coincidentally, her father Haaris also appeared before Rasulullah  and
submitted: “I am the chieftain of the Banu Mustaliq tribe. My daughter cannot live
as a bondswoman. I implore you to set her free.” Rasulullah  replied:
“Would it not be more appropriate if this was left to the will and desire of
Juwayriyyah herself?” Haaris went to Juwayriyyah  and said: “Rasulullah
 has left the matter entirely in your hands.” To this Juwayriyyah 

replied: “I choose Allah and His Rasool .”
‘Abdullah bin Ziyaad  narrates: “Hadhrat Juwayriyyah’s  father
Haaris bin Abi Diraar took along a number of camels as ransom and set out for
Madinah to secure the release of his daughter. Amongst them were two
exceptionally fine camels, which he concealed on one of the mountain passes en
route. When he reached Madinah, he appeared before Rasulullah  and
presented his camels saying: “O Muhammad ! You captured my
daughter. Take these camels as ransom for her release.” Rasulullah 
remarked: “Where are those camels that you concealed at so and so mountain
pass?” Haaris exclaimed: “I testify that you are indeed the messenger of Allah.
Nobody but Allah had any knowledge about those camels. Only Allah could have
alerted you about those camels.”
In short, Rasulullah  set Hadhrat Juwayriyyah  free and took
her in marriage. When the Sahaabah  learnt of this, they set every single
captive of the Banu Mustaliq free because this tribe was now the in-laws of
Rasulullah . Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah Siddeeqah bint
Siddeeq  says: “I have not come across any woman who proved herself to be
more beneficial to her people than Juwayriyyah. In just one day, one hundred
families were set free because of her.”
Since a huge number of hypocrites also accompanied the Muslims on this
journey, they revealed their fondness for anarchy and mischief at every turn. At
one of the water holes en route, a scuffle broke out between a Muhaajir and an
Ansaari. The Muhaajir kicked the Ansaari and bellowed: “O Muhaajireen!” and the
Ansaari also roared in response: “O Ansaar!” calling unto their respective tribes for
assistance.
When Rasulullah  heard this commotion, he demanded: “What are
these yells of ignorance (Jaahiliyyah)?” The people replied: “A Muhaajir kicked an
Ansaari.” Rasulullah  remarked:
ٌ ۡ َّ َ َ ُ َ
‫دع ۡوها فا ِن َها ُمنت ِ َنة‬
“Abandon this because it stinks.”
The leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy exploited this ideal opportunity
to wag his tongue. Scornfully he remarked: “These people (the immigrant
Muhaajireen) have swamped us. By Allah! When we return to Madinah, the noble
amongst us will expel the dishonourable.”
When Rasulullah  heard of this rude utterance, Hadhrat ‘Umar
 pleaded: “O Rasulullah! Allow me to smite the neck of this hypocrite.”
Rasulullah  replied: “No, leave him alone. (People would not understand
Chapter 17 353
the reality of the situation) and they would assume that Muhammad kills his
companions.”
Note: ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy was not one of the companions of Rasulullah
. In fact he was a sworn bitter enemy of Rasulullah . However,
outwardly he bore a resemblance to the companions of Rasulullah .
Verbally he claimed to be from the companions. This is why Rasulullah 
refrained from executing him. A resemblance to the sincere Sahaabah 
saved his life. A resemblance to the pious, even though based on hypocrisy, is not
devoid of benefit.
Note: It appears from Rasulullah’s  warning:
ٌ ۡ َّ َ ُ َ
‫دع ۡوها فا ِنها ُمنت َِنة‬
“Abandon this because it stinks”
Good and pure things are fragrant whilst bad and evil things emit an odour and the
external perception of this fragrance or odour can only be perceived by the
Ambiyaa  and their faithful heirs.
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه‬4‫ كنا مع الب صل ا‬:‫ تعا¯ عنه قال‬4‫وعن جابر رض ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫ فقال رسول ا‬، ‫وسلم فارتقت ريح منتنة‬
. ‫اتدرون ما هذه الريح؟ هذه ريح الين يغتابون المؤمني‬
Hadhrat Jaabir  reports: “We were with Rasulullah  when a whiff
of a disgusting odour blew. On perceiving this stench, Rasulullah 
commented: ‘Do you know what this odour is? This is the stench emanating from
the mouths of those who are talking ill of the Muslims.’”
It is evident from this Hadith that Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah 
perceived the stench of the sin of backbiting but the Sahaabah  only came to
know of the underlying cause of this stench after Rasulullah  notified
them about it.
A similar incident occurred as they returned close to Madinah, as reported in
Muslim by Hadhrat Jaabir : “Whilst we were returning from this expedition
(of Banu Mustaliq) and as we drew closer to Madinah we were suddenly assailed
by a foul gust of wind. Upon this Rasulullah  remarked: ‘This foul-
smelling wind is blowing due to the death of a hypocrite.” When we reached
Madinah, we learnt that a senior hypocrite had just died.’”
It is quite strange to note that ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy, was a bitter enemy of
Islam and the leader of the hypocrites but his son, also named ‘Abdullah, was a
sincere and committed Muslim. In reality he was an ‘Abdullah (the slave of Allah)
whilst his father was ‘Abdullah by name only. When ‘Abdullah, the son, heard his
father’s disrespectful words ‘the noble amongst us will expel the dishonourable’, he
immediately stood up, grabbed hold of his father and demanded: “By Allah! I will
never allow you to enter Madinah until you declare that you are dishonourable
whilst Rasulullah  is noble.” The moment his father admitted this, he
released him.
When they returned to Madinah, ‘Abdullah  appeared before Rasulullah
 and submitted: “O Rasulullah ! I heard that you are about to
issue an execution order against my father. If you permit, I am prepared to behead
my father and place his head before you. I fear that if you had to charge someone
else to execute him, I may be overcome with anger and murder the executioner
himself. In this manner, I may turn out to be guilty of murdering another Muslim.”
Rasulullah  prevented him from taking the life of his father and
directed him to treat his father with graciousness and politeness.
Incident of Slander
The episode of slander against Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  also
occurred on their return from this expedition.
On this expedition, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  also accompanied Rasulullah
. Since the injunction of Hijaab (pardah) was already revealed, Hadhrat
‘Aa’ishah  was carried on a hawdaj (camel carriage). She would be made to
mount and dismount the camel with the hawdaj being carried up or down. The
hawdaj itself was fully concealed with a curtain suspended over its sides.
As they drew closer to Madinah, they set up camp at a certain place. When the
army was instructed to depart, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  was gone to answer the
call of nature at a secluded spot far away from the people. As she was returning,
her necklace of pearls broke and scattered to the ground. She got delayed in
searching and retrieving them.
The army was about to depart. The curtains of the hawdaj were drawn and on
the inference that Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  was seated within the carriage, the
carriage-bearers hoisted the carriage and mounted it onto the camel in preparation
for departure. The women at that time were generally thin and Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah
, due to her young age, was even more slender in built. This is why the
carriage-bearers had no hint of the carriage being lighter than usual.
She only found her necklace (beads or pearls) after the army departed and by
the time she returned to camp, there was not a soul to be seen. Reasoning that
when Rasulullah  does not find her at the next halt, he would surely send
someone to search for her at this very spot, she decided to remain where she was.
Chapter 17 355
She covered herself with a sheet and lay down. A little while later she fell fast
asleep.
Safwaan bin Mu‘attal Sulami , who was appointed to retrieve any
valuables accidentally dropped by the travellers, passed by. The instant he laid eyes
on her, he recognised her. He had seen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  before the laws of
Hijaab were revealed.
At once, he recited Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji‘oon. On hearing this
unexpected sound, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  was awakened. She promptly covered
her face with her sheet.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates:
ّٰ
‫ سمعت منه كمة غي استجاعه‬O‫ ما كمن كمة و‬4‫وا‬
“By Allah, he did not speak to me at all nor did he utter a single word except his
expression of lament (with the words Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji‘oon).”
Perhaps, Hadhrat Safwaan  uttered these words loudly to alert Hadhrat
‘Aa’ishah  of his presence and to ensure that there was no opportunity of
further dialogue. No conversation whatsoever occured between the two.
Hadhrat Safwaan  guided the camel close to Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah 
and made it sit down. He steered the camel before her whilst he himself moved
away. Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  mounted the camel and taking hold of the reins,
Hadhrat Safwaan  set off. In this manner, they continued their journey until
they caught up with the rest of the army.
It was in the middle of the afternoon when they arrived. The moment
‘Abdullah bin Ubayy and his cohorts of hypocrites caught sight of them, they
plunged into a frenzy of absurd accusations and insulting allegations. Those who
were doomed to destruction were destroyed.
When they reached Madinah, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  fell ill. She was in
poor health for a whole month. The scandalmongers and mischief-makers were
engrossed in this malicious gossiping whilst she, on the other hand, had absolutely
no knowledge whatsoever about the slanderous statements that were flying around
regarding her. However, she was dreadfully perturbed by the relative aloofness of
Rasulullah  and the unexplained withering of his affection and love for
her as he was wont to display in her previous bouts of illness. She was obviously
agitated by the fact that Rasulullah  came home, inquired about her
health from others and walked out. “Why does he not enquire from me directly?”
she mused. This detachment further aggravated her anguish and pain.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  relates: “One night Umme Mistah and I went out to
the field to relieve ourselves. (It was the custom amongst the Arabs of the past not
to erect toilets within the homes due to the odorous smell etc.) On the way, Umme
Mistah spoke ill of her son. Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  countered: “How can you
speak ill of a man who participated in the battle of Badr?” Astonished by her
trusting response, Umme Mistah said: “O you naïve girl! Have you not heard the
story making its rounds?” “What stories?” she asked in alarm.
When Umme Mistah related the entire incident to her, Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah’s
 health took a turn for the worse.
The moment this false allegation fell onto her ears, she was seized by a
shuddering fever brought on by this horrifying news.
Without even relieving herself, she returned home. Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah 
narrates: “When Rasulullah  came home, I requested him to allow me to
visit my parents. I actually wanted to make further enquiries about this incident
from my parents. Rasulullah  permitted me to visit my parents.
“When I came to my parent’s home, I asked my mother: ‘Mother! Do you
know what the people are saying about me?’ She replied: ‘Daughter! Do not be
distressed. It is an accepted norm in the world that a woman who is beautiful and
morally upright and she enjoys a lofty status in the affections of her husband,
jealous women are bound to haunt her with their destructive tricks.’ I replied:
‘Subhaanallah! Is this rumour really making its rounds amongst the people?’ I then
asked: ‘Does father know about this rumour?’ She replied in the affirmative. She
then related: “I said: ‘May Allah forgive you, mother. This malicious rumour is
making its rounds amongst the people and you did not even mention it once to me!’
Whimpering these words, my eyes welled up in tears and I emitted a few shrieks of
agony.’
“My father Abu Bakr  was busy reciting the Holy Qur-aan in the upper
section of the house. When he heard me shriek, he came down and asked my
mother what was happening. Mother replied: ‘She (‘Aa’ishah) is now aware of the
situation and she now knows about the rumours.’ On hearing this, Abu Bakr 
started weeping.
“I, on the other hand, was gripped with such a bout of shivering that my
mother Umme Rumaan had to wrap me with whatever available clothing she had
in the house. I cried all night long. Not a moment passed without teary eyes until
morning greeted us in this state of tormenting anxiety.”
Since there was a delay in the revelation of Wahi (divine revelation),
Rasulullah  consulted Hadhrat Ali  and Hadhrat Usaamah 
on this matter. Hadhrat Usaamah  declared: “O Rasulullah ! These
are members of your family who are befitting to your lofty status and to the rank
of prophethood. There is absolutely no question about their chastity and purity.
The purity and chastity of your family members is more conspicuous than the
blazing sun. There is absolutely no need to consult us on this matter. And if you
really want my opinion, I will submit by saying: ‘As far as we know, we know
nothing but good about all the pure wives.”
Hadhrat Ali , on noticing the anguish and sorrow of Rasulullah
, submitted:
Chapter 17 357
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليك والنساء سواها كثي وان تسأل‬4‫ ! لم يضيق ا‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
‫الارية تصدقك‬
“O Rasulullah ! Allah Ta’ala did not fetter you with any restriction.
There are many other women besides her. If you ask the slave girl, she will tell you
the truth.”
In other words, you are under no obligation. Separation is within your control but
before you do anything, why don’t you ascertain the facts from the slave girl of the
house? She will be able to give you a factual report (because the maids and slaves
of the house are more aware of the intimate matters of the household than the
menfolk).
Rasulullah  called for Bareerah and asked:
ّٰ
K‫ فان سائلك عن شء ف‬:‫ قال‬.‫ نعم‬:‫؟ قالت‬4‫اتشهدين ان رسول ا‬
O :‫ هل رايت من عئشة ما تكرهينه؟ قالت‬:‫ نعم قال‬:‫ قال‬.‫تكتمينه‬
“Do you testify that I am the messenger of Allah?” She replied: “Yes!” He said: “I
intend to ask you something. Don’t hide anything from me (because Allah will
surely disclose it to me by means of divine revelation).” When she gave her
assurance, Rasulullah  asked: “Did you ever notice anything about
‘Aa’ishah that you found despicable?” She replied: “Never!”
Rasulullah  asked Bareerah:
‫اي بريره ! هل رايت من شء يريبك‬

“O Bareerah! Did you ever catch sight of anything that gave you cause for concern
or suspicion?”
Bareerah replied:
‫ ان رايت عنها امرا اغمصه عليها سوى انها‬،‫ ! والي بعثك بالق‬O
‫جارية حديثة السن تنام عن عجي اهلها فتأت الاجن فتاكه‬
“Never, I swear by the Being who has sent you with the truth! I have not observed
‘Aa’ishah engaged in anything that is objectionable or punishable. Yes, she is after
all a young girl. She kneads her dough and dozes off to sleep and a kid goat would
come and eat it up.”
In other words, she is naïve and neglectful of simple things like her dough and
dhal. How can she ever be acquainted with the cunning and scheming ways of the
world?
On hearing this comforting response from Bareerah , Rasulullah
 went to the Masjid, ascended the mimbar and delivered a Khutbah
wherein he praised Allah Ta’ala and said:
‫يا معش المسلمي ! من يعذرن من رجل قد بلغن اذاه ف اهل بيت؟‬

ّٰ
‫ ما علمت‬K‫ خيا ولقد ذكروا رج‬O‫ ما علمت < اهل ا‬،4‫فوا‬
‫ خيا‬O‫عليه ا‬
“O Muslims! Who will assist me in challenging that man who has caused me untold
anguish in regards to my family? By Allah! I have not noticed anything but chastity
and purity in the members of my family. As for the man whom they accuse (of this
sin), I do not know of anything but good about him.”
On hearing these words, the chief of the Aws tribe, Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
stood up and submitted: “O Rasulullah ! I am ready to offer you any form
of assistance. If this man (the accuser) is of the Aws tribe, we would surely behead
him ourselves and if he is from our brothers’ tribe, the Khazraj, then too we would
not hesitate in killing him if you command us to do so.
S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah , the chief of the Khazraj tribe, inferred that S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  was making a veiled reference to them, as though he was hinting
that the accusers and slanderers were from the Khazraj tribe. This implied
reference drove him into a spell of uninhibited fervour. He addressed S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz  and boomed: “Never, by Allah! You will never be able to kill him.”
(In other words, if he is a member of our tribe, we will take the privilege of
executing him.)
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz’s  cousin (father’s brother’s son) Usaid bin Hudhair
 addressed S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  and said: “You are wrong! If Rasulullah
 has to charge us to behead him we will definitely behead him ourselves,
whether he is of the Khazraj tribe or any other tribe for that matter. Nobody will
dare stop us. And are you a hypocrite that you are speaking in defence of the
hypocrites?”
In this manner, the argument intensified as though both tribes were on the
verge of exchanging blows. Rasulullah  descended the mimbar and
calmed both parties down.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  relates: “This day also passed in unrestrained
sobbing. My tears did not stop flowing for a single moment. The night also passed
Chapter 17 359
in this state of emotional agony. I was overwhelmed with such heartache that my
parents imagined that my ‘liver was sure to split in grief’.
In the morning, my parents came and sat close to me whilst I was busy
sobbing away in distress. In the interim, an Ansaari woman also came and joined
me in crying. We were obliviously weeping away when Rasulullah 
unexpectedly came into the house. He offered Salaam and seated himself close to
me. From the time these rumours were making their rounds, he had never sat so
close to me. A whole month had passed in anticipation of the revelation of Wahi
(divine revelation).
After taking a seat, Rasulullah  praised Allah Ta’ala and addressing
me, he said:
‫اما بعد ! يا عئشة فانه بلغن عنك كذا وكذا فان كنت بريئة‬
ّٰ ّٰ
،‫ و توب اله‬4‫ وان كنت الممت بذنب فاستغفري ا‬،4‫فسيبئك ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه‬4‫ تاب ا‬4‫فان العبد اذا اعتف بذنبه ثم تاب ا¯ ا‬
‘O ‘Aa’ishah! Such and such news about you has reached me. If you are innocent,
Allah will certainly declare your innocence, and if you have perpetrated a sin, seek
the forgiveness of Allah and beg His pardon because if a servant confesses to his
perpetration of a sin and begs the forgiveness of Allah, Allah will surely forgive
him.’”
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates: “When Rasulullah  terminated his
discourse, my tears stopped flowing. I could not even shed a single tear. I told my
father: ‘Why do you not respond to Rasulullah  on my behalf?’ He
replied: ‘I am at a loss. I have no idea what to say to him.’ I repeated the same
request to my mother, who replied in the same vein. Thereafter, I took the bold step
of replying myself and declared: ‘Allah is well aware of my innocence but this
rumour has been so deeply rooted into your hearts that if I assert my innocence –
and Allah Ta’ala is well aware of my innocence – you will not believe me. On the
contrary, hypothetically speaking, if I confess to this sin you will believe me
whereas Allah Ta’ala Himself knows I am totally innocent.’
Sobbing in anguish, I cried out: ‘By Allah! I will never repent from the sin they
attribute towards me. I will simply utter what Yusuf’s  father expressed
before his sons:
‘So patience is most fitting and it is Allah alone whose assistance can be sought
against (the rumour) you attribute (to me).’”
She relates: “Saying this, I lay down on my bed. At that time I was utterly
certain that Allah Ta’ala would clear me of this sin but I had absolutely no idea
that Allah Ta’ala would declare my innocence by the revelation of divine verses
that would be perpetually recited.”
According to another narration, she says: “I had absolutely no idea that verses
of the Qur-aan would be revealed about me, verses that would be recited in the
Masjids and in the Salaahs.
Yes, I had merely hoped that Rasulullah  would be shown my
innocence through a dream etc. In this manner, I anticipated that Allah Ta’ala
would clear me of this rumour.”
Revelation of the Verses of Exoneration

(In favour of the Maryam of this Ummah, the pure and most dear wife of
Rasulullah , Ummul-Mumineen Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah Siddeeqah bint
Siddeeq, may Allah Ta’ala be pleased with her, her parents and those who believe
in her innocence and may the curse of Allah Ta’ala strike those who doubt her
chastity and purity.)
Rasulullah  barely moved from his place when suddenly the signs of
divine revelation appeared on his face. In spite of the severe cold, droplets of
perspiration like pearls started dripping down his blessed forehead.
Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  relates:
ّٰ ّ ّٰ
،‫ غي ظالم‬4‫ وان ا‬،‫ ما فزعت قد عرفت أن بريئة‬4‫فاما انا فوا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم حت ظننت‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫واما ابواي فما سي عن رسول ا‬
ّٰ ً
‫ تقيق ما يقول الاس‬4‫لخرجن انفسهما خوفا من ان يات من ا‬
“As for myself, I was not perturbed in the least because I was confident of my
innocence and that Allah Ta’ala would not be unjust to me. As for my parents, they
were so devastated by anxiety that I thought they would perish in fear of a verse
about to be revealed corroborating these rumours.”
Abu Bakr’s  state of anxiety was such that sometimes he would look towards
me and sometimes he would cast his glance towards Rasulullah . When
he would direct his gaze towards Rasulullah , he would be terrified and
wonder what type of divine commandment was being revealed from the sky, a
commandment that was bound to endure up to the day of Qiyaamah. However,
when he would peer in my direction and witness my serene composure, he would
cherish some hope (of my exoneration).
The entire household was seized with this apprehension between hope and
fear when the divine revelation came to an end and Rasulullah’s  blessed
face was bright with delight and joy. Wiping his blessed forehead with his blessed
hand, he turned towards ‘Aa’ishah  and the first words he uttered were:
Chapter 17 361
ّٰ
‫ براء تك‬4‫ابشي يا عئشة ! فقد انزل ا‬
“Congratulations, O ‘Aa’ishah! Allah Ta’ala has revealed your innocence.”
To this my mother remarked: “Stand up, O ‘Aa’ishah! Express your appreciation to
Rasulullah .” I replied: “By Allah! I will never express my gratitude to
anyone other than Allah Ta’ala Who has declared my innocence.”
Thereafter, Rasulullah  informed those present that Allah Ta’ala had
revealed the following verses:
ْ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻞ ﻫﻮ ﺧ‬ ْ ْ ۡ ٌ ْ ْ ْ ۡ
‫ي‬ ً ‫ﻞ اﻣﺮ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ ﻟ‬MN‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ‫ﲑ ﻟ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ MN ‫ﻢ‬ ۡ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ً ‫ﺤﺴﺒ ۡﻮه ﺷ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ MN ‫ﻢ‬ْ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬
‫ﺟﺂ ءو ﺑﺎﻻﻓ‬
‫ﺔ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﺼ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻚ‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ‬ ‫ا ن‬

ْ ْ ۤ ْ ‫ي ﺗﻮ ٰ ﻛ ْﱪ ٗه ﻣ ْﻨ‬ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ‫ﻣ ْﻨ‬
‫﴾ ﻟ ْﻮ ﻻ اذ ﺳﻤﻌﺘ ﻤ ۡﻮه ﻇ ﻦ‬۱۱﴿ ‫اب ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ٌ ‫ ﻋﺬ‬u

ٗ $
\‫ وا‬N‫ﺴﺐ ﻣﻦ اﻻﺛﻢ‬Í‫ ﻣﺎ اﻛ‬$

‫﴾ ﻟ ْﻮ ﻻ ﺟﺂء ۡو ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ ﺑﺎ ْرﺑﻌﺔ‬۱۲﴿ ‫ و ﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ٰﻫ ﺬا اﻓﻚ ﻣﺒﲔ‬ºN‫ﲑا‬
ٌ ۡ ٌ ْ ۤ
ً ‫ﺧ‬$
ۡ ْ ‫اﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﻮن و اﻟﻤ ْﺆﻣ ٰﻨﺖ ﺑﺎﻧﻔﺴ‬
ۡ ْ

ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ٰ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ
‫ﻜ ْﻢ و‬ ‫ﻞ اﷲ ﻋﻠﻴ‬ ‫﴾ و ﻟﻮ ﻻ ﻓﻀ‬۱۳﴿ ‫ﻫ ﻢ اﻟﻜﺬﺑﻮ ن‬ ‫ﻚ ﻋﻨ ﺪ اﷲ‬
¶
‫ﺎﻟﺸ ﻬ ﺪآء ﻓﺎ وﻟ‬ ‫ ﻓﺎذ ﻟﻢ ﻳ ﺎﺗﻮا ﺑ‬N‫ﺷ ﻬ ﺪآء‬
ْ

ْ ْ ٗ ْ ْ ٌ ۡ ٌ ۡ ْ ْ ۤ ۡ ْ ْٰ ْ ٗ ْ
‫ﻜﻢ و‬ ‫﴾ اذ ﺗ ﻠ ﻘﻮﻧﻪ ﺑﺎ ﻟﺴ ﻨﺘ‬Î ۱۴﴿N ‫ﻜﻢ ﰲ ﻣﺎ اﻓﻀ ﺘﻢ ﻓﻴﻪ ﻋ ﺬاب ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬ ‫اﻧﻴﺎ و اﻻﺧﺮة ﻟ ﻤ ﺴ‬ ‫ﺣ ﻤﺘﻪ ﰲ‬ ‫ر‬

ْ ۤ ْ ٌ ۡ ۡ ٗ ۡ ْ ٌ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ
‫﴾ وﻟﻮ ﻻ اذ‬۱۵﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ ﻋﻨ ﺪ اﷲ ﻋﻈﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻋﻠﻢ و ﺗﺤﺴﺒﻮﻧﻪ ﻫ ﻴ ًﻨﺎ و‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ﻣﺎ ﻟ'ﺲ ﻟ‬ ‫ﺗ ﻘﻮﻟﻮ ن ﺑﺎ ﻓﻮاﻫ‬

ۡ ۡ ٌ ۡ ٰ ْ ۡ ۤ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ
‫ﻜﻢ اﷲ ان‬ ‫﴾ ﻳﻌﻈ‬۱۶﴿ ‫ﻚ ﻫ ﺬا ﺑﻬﺘﺎن ﻋﻈﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ٰ
‫ﻜ ﻠ ﻢ ﺑﻬ ﺬا ﺳﺒﺤ ﻨ‬
ٰ ‫ﻜﻮ ن ﻟ ﻨﺎ ان ﻧ ﺘ‬ ‫ﺳﻤﻌ ﺘ ﻤﻮه ﻗﻠ ﺘﻢ ﻣﺎ ﻳ‬

ٰ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ
‫﴾ ا ن‬۱۸﴿ ‫ و اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ ﺣﻜ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN‫ﻜﻢ اﻻ ٰﻳﺖ‬ ‫﴾ و ﻳﺒ ﲔ اﷲ ﻟ‬۱۷ۚ ﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻛﻨ ﺘﻢ ﻣﺆﻣﻨ‬
ۡ
‫ اﺑﺪا ان‬²
ً ۤ ٖ ‫ﺗﻌ ۡﻮدوا ﻟﻤﺜ‬

ْٰ ْ ْ
‫ و اﷲ‬MN‫اﻧﻴﺎ و اﻻﺧﺮة‬ ‫ ﰲ‬ºN‫اب اﻟ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ٌ ‫ ﻋﺬ‬$ ْ
‫ﻦ ا ﻣ ﻨﻮا ﻟ‬
ۡ ٰ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻳﺤﺒ ۡﻮن ا ۡن ¼ﺸ ۡﻴﻊ اﻟ ﻔﺎﺣ ﺸ ﺔ ﰲ‬

ٌ ٗ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ
﴾ ۲۰٪ ﴿ ‫ﺣ ﻤﺘﻪ و ا ن اﷲ رء ۡوف رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ و ر‬ ‫ﻞ اﷲ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴ‬ ‫﴾ و ﻟ ْﻮ ﻻ ﻓﻀ‬۱۹﴿ ‫ﻳﻌ ﻠﻢ و اﻧﺘ ْﻢ ﻻ ﺗﻌ ﻠ ﻤ ۡﻮن‬

“Verily those who brought forth a slander are a group from amongst you. Do not
regard it as bad for you but it is good for you. For each of them is the extent he has
earned of the sin. And as for him who has earned a greater share of the sin from
amongst them, for him will be a great punishment. Why then, did not the believing
men and women, when you heard it (the slander), think good of their own people
and say: ‘This (charge) is an obvious slander.’ Why did they not produce four
witnesses upon this? Since they (the slanderers) have not produced four witnesses,
then by Allah they are liars. Had it not been for the grace and mercy of Allah over
you in this world and the hereafter, a great punishment would have befallen you for
what you had spoken, when you were propagating it with your tongues and
uttering with your mouths that of which you have no knowledge. You regard it as
something trivial whereas it is critical by Allah. When you heard this (slander) why
did you not say: It is not appropriate for us to speak like this, ‘Subhaanak (glory be
to You), this is a blatant slander.’ Allah warns you not to repeat the likes of this
forever, if you are (truly) believers. And Allah clearly explains the Aayaat (proofs,
verses) to you and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise. Verily those who like evil (like
adultery etc) to spread amongst the believers, for them is a painful punishment in
this world and the hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not. And had it not
been for the grace and mercy of Allah upon you, (Allah would have swiftly taken
you to task), Allah is most affectionate, most merciful.” [Surah Noor]
When Rasulullah  completed the recitation of these verses, Hadhrat Abu
Bakr , on hearing the verses confirming the purity and chastity of his beloved
daughter, stood up and kissed his innocent and virtuous daughter on her forehead.
She asked: “Father! Why did you not consider me innocent before this?”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr , who was imbued with truthfulness in every fibre of
his being, who was a mountain of honesty and could not be moved by the most
dreadful tragedies, offered a reply that is fit to be inscribed on the tablets of the
hearts:
َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُّ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ
‫ت َمال ۡم اعل ۡم‬ ‫ا ُّي َس َمآ ٍء تظِل ِن َوا ُّي ا ٍض تقِل ِن ا ِذا قل‬
“Which sky will provide me with shelter and which earth will bear me if I have to
utter something I have no knowledge of?”
Thereafter Rasulullah  left Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s  house and
proceeded to the Masjid where he delivered a sermon and recited the ten verses
affirming the innocence of Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah .
The chief perpetrators of this gossip mongering were principally the
hypocrites. Alhamdulillah, none of the Muslims except a few were implicated in
this slander. The few who fell into this trap of the hypocrites due to their naivety
and gullibility were:
Mistah bin Asaasah , Hassaan bin Saabit  and Hamnah bint Jahsh
. Each of them were sentenced to eighty lashes, the punishment for slander
as imposed by the Islamic penal code and each one of them also repented from
their sin. According to the more reputable reports, ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy was not
punished because he was, after all a hypocrite and not a Muslim but according to
other narrations, he was also subjected to eighty lashes. And Allah Ta’ala knows
best.
Mistah  was the maternal cousin of Hadhrat Abu Bakr , his
mother’s sister’s son. Due to his poverty, Hadhrat Abu Bakr  would see to his
financial needs but when Mistah  entangled himself in this episode, Hadhrat
Abu Bakr  vowed never to spend on him again. Upon this, Allah Ta’ala
revealed the following verse:
Chapter 17 363
ۡ‫ﻮا او اﻟْﻘ ْﺮ ٰ و اﻟْﻤ ٰﺴﻜ ۡﲔ واﻟْﻤ ٰﻬﺠﺮﻳ ۡﻦ ﰲ‬ ۤۡ ْ ۡ

‫اﻟﺴﻌﺔ ان ﻳ ﺆﺗ‬ ‫و‬ ْ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻞ‬
ْ ْ
‫ﻀ‬ ‫ﻔ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻮا‬ ‫ﻟ‬‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺗ‬
ۡ
‫و ﻻ ﻳﺎ‬

ۡ ٌ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ
ْ
﴾۲۲﴿ ‫ واﷲ ﻏ ﻔﻮر رﺣﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN‫ﻜﻢ‬ ‫ ا ﻻ ﺗﺤ ﺒﻮ ن ان ﻳﻐﻔﺮ اﷲ ﻟ‬MN‫ﺤﻮا‬ ‫ وﻟﻴﻌﻔﻮا وﻟﻴﺼﻔ‬Ï N N‫ﺳﺒﻴﻞ اﷲ‬

“And let not those who have been blessed with grace and wealth swear not to
provide (any assistance) to the kinsmen, the destitute and those who migrated in
Allah’s path. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah forgives you?
And Allah is forgiving, merciful.” [Surah Noor verse 22]
When Rasulullah  recited this verse to Hadhrat Abu Bakr , he
submitted:
ّٰ ّٰ
¯ 4‫ ان لحب ان يغفر ا‬،4‫بل ! وا‬
“Of course, I want Allah to pardon me.”
He then continued providing financial assistance to Mistah  and swore: “By
Allah! I will never cease helping Mistah.” Compared to previous times, he now
doubled his financial assistance to him.
Revelation of Tayammum
According to some narrations, in their return from this expedition, Hadhrat
‘Aa’ishah  lost her necklace and dawn broke whilst the caravan was
searching for it. There was no water in this area. The verses of Tayammum were
revealed and the Sahaabah  performed their Fajr Salaah with Tayammum.
The Sahaabah  were so overcome with joy that Usaid bin Hudhair ,
swept with elation, remarked: “O family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first of your
blessings. In fact, due to your barakah (blessings and good fortune), a number of
concessions in divine commandments have already been revealed.”
According to other research scholars, the verses of Tayammum were not
revealed in this campaign of Banu Mustalaq but they were revealed on another
journey subsequent to the campaign of Banu Mustalaq. This is evident from the
narration of M‘ujam Tabraani wherein Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah  narrates: “On one
occasion I lost my necklace and the slanderers said what they said. Subsequent to
this, I once travelled with Rasulullah  on another journey in which I lost
my necklace a second time. Everyone was forced to halt in search of the necklace.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  reproachfully remarked to Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah :
“Daughter, on every journey it seems you are becoming a nuisance to the people.”
At that very moment the verses of Tayammum were revealed wherein Allah
Ta’ala permitted us to make Tayammum and perform Salaah in the absence of
water.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  was overjoyed with the revelation of the concession
of Tayammum and addressing Hadhrat ‘Aa’ishah , he cheerily commented:
“You are surely blessed! You are surely blessed! You are surely blessed!”
Chapter 18
Battle of Khandaq (Trench) or Ahzaab (Confederates)
- Shawwaal 5 A.H.
The battle of Khandaq took place in the year 5 A.H. On their return from the battle
of Uhud, Abu Sufyaan made a threatening statement to the Muslims warning them
that he would fight them the following year. Saying this he returned to Makkah. In
the following year, as the time to carry out his threat drew closer, he left Makkah
but returned en route citing reasons of drought and the inappropriateness of war
etc. A year later, he attempted to launch an attack against Madinah with a force of
ten thousand men. This expedition is referred to as the expedition of Khandaq or
the expedition of Ahzaab.
The key factor behind this expedition was that following the banishment of
Banu Nazeer, Huyayy bin Akhtab went to Makkah and incited the Quraysh to take
up arms against Rasulullah . Meanwhile Kinaanah bin Rab’i approached
the Banu Ghitfaan tribe and persuaded them too to go into battle against
Rasulullah . Kinaanah tempted them to agree by offering them half the
produce of the palm trees of Khaybar annually. On hearing this pledge, ‘Uyaynah
bin Hisn Fazaari (their chief) swiftly agreed. The Quraysh, on the other hand, were
raging to fight from the beginning (so there was no need to entice them any
further).
This is how Abu Sufyaan, with a force of ten thousand strong, set out towards
Madinah to defeat the Muslims once and for all.
When Rasulullah  heard of their departure from Makkah, he
consulted the Sahaabah . Hadhrat Salmaan Faarsi  proposed the
digging of trenches around the city. He argued that it would be somewhat gruelling
to fight them on the open field. Fighting them from the protection of the trenches
would be more appropriate. This proposal appealed to all the Sahaabah .
365
Rasulullah  himself set its boundaries, drew lines and assigned ten
people per ten yards for the digging of the trenches.
The trenches were dug so deep that they encountered the moisture of the soil.
The trenches were completed in six days.
Rasulullah  also physically joined the Sahaabah  in digging
the trenches. He struck the very first pick to the ground with his blessed hands and
the following words were on his blessed tongue:
َ َ َ َ َ ّٰ
‫َول ۡو عبَ ۡدنا غ ۡيه شق ِۡي َنا‬ ‫ وبه بَد ِۡينَا‬4‫بسم ا‬
“Bismillah, we commence in the name of Allah. If we devoted to anyone other than
Him, we would surely be doomed to an ill fate.
‫وح َّبذا د ِۡي ًنا‬ ًّ ‫َح َّب َذا‬

َ ‫ربا‬
Oh, what a wonderful Lord He is and what a magnificent religion we have!”
It was during the midst of winter. Icy cold winds were blowing and they were
starving for a few days but the devoted Muhaajireen and Ansaar were
enthusiastically engaged in digging the trenches. Whilst occupied in shifting
mounds of sand, they would chant the following words:
َُ
‫< الهاد ما بقينا ابدا‬ ‫نن الين بايعوا م َّمدا‬
“We are those who pledged on the hands of Muhammad (and we have sold our lives
to Allah for Rasulullah ) that we would continue fighting in Jihaad as
long as we have life within us.”
In response to these words, Rasulullah  would chant:
‫نصار والمهاجره‬K‫فاغفر ل‬ ‫خرة‬O‫عيش ا‬O‫ عيش ا‬O ‫اللهم‬

“O Allah! There is really no life but the life of the hereafter. So forgive the Ansaar
and the Muhaajireen.”
At times he would chant:
‫نصار والمهاجره‬O‫فبارك ف ا‬ ‫خره‬O‫خي ا‬O‫ خي ا‬O ‫اللهم انه‬

“O Allah! There is no goodness but the goodness of the hereafter. So bestow Your
blessings upon the Ansaar and the Muhaajireen.”
Baraa bin ‘Aazib  narrates: “On the day of the trench, Rasulullah 
himself was engaged in carrying the sand of the trenches to such an extent that his
blessed stomach turned grimy with dust. Whilst carrying the sand, he would chant
the following words:
Chapter 18 367
َّ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ّٰ Oَ ‫ لَو‬،ِ4‫ا‬
ّٰ َ
‫ َصل ۡي َنا‬O‫ َو‬،‫ ت َص َّدق َنا‬O‫َو‬ ‫هت َد ۡي َنا‬
َ ‫ َما ا‬4‫ا‬ ‫و‬
By Allah! If it was not for the divine guidance of Allah, we would not have been
guided, neither would we have performed our Salaah nor disbursed charity.
َ َ ۡ َۡۡ َّ َ ََ ً ۡ ‫فَاَنۡز‬
‫ق ۡي َنا‬O ‫ق َدام ان‬O‫ت ا‬
ِ ِ‫وثب‬ ‫لن َسك ِۡي َنة عل ۡي َنا‬ ِ
O Allah! Shower us with tranquillity and keep us steadfast when we are confronted
with the enemy.
َ ً ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ ُ ۡ َّ
‫ا ِذا ا َراد ۡوا ف ِت َنة ابَ ۡي َنا‬ ‫¯ ق ۡد َبغ ۡوا عل ۡي َنا‬O‫ا ِن ا‬
They have been vindictive to us. If they wish to ensnare us into any temptation, we
will flatly refuse.” (At the end of this stanza are the words Abaynaa, Abaynaa (we
will refuse, we will refuse).
Whilst Rasulullah  was singing these stanzas, as he came to the end, he
would repeatedly recite in a loud tone: “Abaynaa Abaynaa Abaynaa…”
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates: “Whilst digging the trenches, we were
confronted by a huge boulder. When we raised this issue with Rasulullah
, he replied: ‘Wait, I will go down into the trench myself.’ Due to severe
hunger, Rasulullah  had tied a stone to his abdomen. We also had not
tasted anything for three days. Rasulullah  gripped the pickaxe with his
blessed hands and landed a single blow to the boulder turning it to a mound of
sand.”
According to the narration cited in Nasai, when Rasulullah  landed
the first blow with the pickaxe, a third of the boulder shattered and he remarked:
“Allahu Akbar! I have been awarded the keys of the kingdom of Syria. By Allah! At
this moment, I can see the red palaces of Syria.” When Rasulullah  struck
the boulder a second time, another third broke off and he remarked: “Allahu Akbar!
I have been awarded the keys to Persia. By Allah! At this moment I can perceive
with my very eyes the white palace of Madaain.” When Rasulullah 
struck the boulder a third time, the rest of it shattered and he said: “Allahu Akbar! I
have been awarded the keys to Yemen. By Allah, from where I am standing, I can
clearly see the doors of Sanaa‘.”
According to another narration, when Rasulullah  struck the boulder
the first time, a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky illuminated the palaces of Syria.
To this Rasulullah  remarked: “Allahu Akbar!” This Takbeer was then
also echoed by the Sahaabah . Thereafter, Rasulullah  said:
“Jibraa’eel Ameen just informed me that my Ummah is destined to conquer all
those cities.”
The Muslims barely completed the digging of the trenches when the ten-
thousand-strong well-equipped army of the Quraysh landed on the outskirts of
Madinah. They set up base near Mount Uhud. With a force of three thousand
Sahaabah , Rasulullah  set out to confront them and set up camp
near Mount Sil‘a. The trenches were separating both the armies. Rasulullah
 directed all women and children to be secured in one of the fortresses.
Until that moment, the Banu Qurayzah were still neutral. However, the leader
of the Banu Nazeer tribe, Huyayy bin Akhtab tried every possible means to win
them over as allies against the Muslims. Huyayy bin Akhtab, the leader of the Banu
Nazeer tribe personally went to K‘ab bin Asad, the leader of the Banu Qurayzah
tribe, who had already signed a peace agreement with Rasulullah . The
moment K‘ab caught sight of Huyayy coming, he slammed the fortress door shut.
Huyayy shouted: “Open the door. (I wish to speak to you).” K‘ab responded:
‫ وان قد عهدت ممدا فلست بنا‬،‫ويحك يا حي ! انك امرء مشئوم‬

‫ صدقا ووفاء‬O‫قض ما بين وبينه فان لم ار منه ا‬
“Shame on you, O Huyayy! You are certainly an ill-fated man. I have already
entered into a pact with Muhammad and I will definitely not violate this agreement
because I have not witnessed anything from him but truthfulness, honesty and
execution of his promises.”
Huyayy, not wanting to be put down any further, pleaded: “Allow me to present
before you something that would guarantee you eternal honour. I have brought the
forces of Quraysh and Ghitfaan right up to your doorstep. All of us have pledged
never to budge an inch until Muhammad and his companions are utterly
annihilated.”
K‘ab replied: “By Allah! You always bring humiliation and shame in your
wake. I will never ever breach the accord with Muhammad. I haven’t witnessed
anything from him but truthfulness, honesty and execution of his promises.”
However, Huyayy was not a person to be easily swayed. He persisted in his
efforts to influence K‘ab until K‘ab ultimately agreed to break his commitment
with Rasulullah .
When Rasulullah  was informed of their treachery, he sent S‘ad bin
Mu’aaz , S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah  and ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  to
make further investigations. He also advised them: “If this news proves to be
correct, return and inform me in such ambiguous terms that the ordinary person
would not be able to grasp its meaning and if this news proves to be incorrect,
there is no problem in revealing it publicly.”
When this group went to K‘ab bin Asad and reminded him about their mutual
agreement, he retorted: “What agreement? What pact? And who is Muhammad? I
do not ever remember making a pact with him.”
Chapter 18 369
When this group returned to Rasulullah , they merely said: “‘Adal

and Qaarah.” In other words, just as the tribes of ‘Adal and Qaarah acted
treacherously with Ashaab-e-Raj‘i (Hadhrat Khubaib  and his companions),
similarly, these Jews are also guilty of treachery.
Rasulullah  was immensely disheartened over their betrayal and
treachery. Now the Muslims were surrounded by the disbelievers from all sides.
Outside enemies resembling a swarm of locusts were camped right before them
whilst enemies from within the siege, like the Banu Qurayzah, also linked up with
them. In short, the Muslims were facing harrowing odds and to top this, the nights
were bitterly cold and they were starving for a number of days.
Allah Ta’ala describes this scenario in Surah Ahzaab in the following words:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ‫ا ْذ ﺟﺂء ۡوﻛ ۡﻢ ﻣ‬
‫اﻏﺖ اﻻﺑْﺼﺎر و ﺑ ﻠ ﻐﺖ اﻟ ﻘﻠ ۡﻮب اﻟﺤﻨﺎﺟﺮ و‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ و اذ ز‬
‫ﻞ ﻣﻨ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ و ﻣ ْﻦ ا ْﺳ ﻔ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻓ ْﻮﻗ‬

ً ْ ْ ْ ْ
﴾ ۱۱﴿ ‫ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮن و زﻟﺰﻟ ۡﻮا زﻟﺰاﻻ ﺷﺪﻳۡ ًﺪا‬¤‫ﻚ اﺑْﺘ‬ ‫﴾ ﻫﻨﺎﻟ‬۱۰﴿ ‫اﻟﻈ ﻨ ۡﻮﻧﺎ‬ ۡ
‫ﺗ ﻈ ﻨﻮ ن ﺑﺎﷲ‬

“Remember when the enemy came upon you from above and from beneath you, and
when the eyes were dazzled (with fright) and the hearts reached the throats (in
horror) and you started harbouring a number (of ill thoughts) about Allah. There,
the believers were tested and were powerfully shaken.” [Surah Ahzaab verses 10-11]
This was a trial for the Muslims. Sincerity and hypocrisy were being screened on
the ‘scales of trials’. These scales separated the genuine from the bogus. Alarmed
by the current events, the hypocrites launched into all forms of lame excuses. Some
of them said: “O Rasulullah! Due to the low walls, our houses are not safe. The
safety of our wives and children is crucial. So we appeal to you to allow us to
leave.”
The Holy Qur-aan describes this thus:
ٌ
ً ‫ ا ۡن ﻳ ﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ ۡون ا ﻻ ﻓﺮ‬£N N‫ وﻣﺎ ﻫﻲ ﺑﻌ ْﻮر ٍة‬ËN N‫ﻳ ﻘ ۡﻮﻟ ۡﻮن ا ن ﺑﻴ ۡﻮﺗﻨﺎ ﻋ ْﻮرة‬
﴾۱۳﴿ ‫ارا‬

“They (the hypocrites) say: ‘Our homes lie exposed (to the enemy).’ But they are not
exposed. They merely wish to flee. (This is why they are offering lame excuses.)”
Allah Ta’ala describes the Muslims, whose hearts were infused with sincerity and
true faith, thus:
ٗ ‫ و ﺻﺪق اﷲ و رﺳ ۡﻮ‬u ٗ ‫ ﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ٰﻫﺬا ﻣﺎ وﻋﺪﻧﺎ اﷲ و رﺳ ۡﻮ‬ºN‫ﺣﺰاب‬ ْ ‫اﻻ‬ْ ۡ ْ ْ

‫ وﻣﺎ‬Nu ‫ن‬ ‫ﻮ‬‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺆ‬‫وﻟ ﻤﺎ را اﻟ ﻤ‬

ۡ ۡ ۤ
﴾ؕ ۲۲﴿ ‫ﻫ ْﻢ ا ﻻ اﻳ ﻤﺎﻧًﺎ و ¼ ْﺴﻠﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬
‫اد‬ ‫ز‬

“When the believers caught sight of the confederates (Ahzaab), they said: ‘This is
what Allah and His Messenger had promised us and Allah and His Messenger had
spoken the truth’. And this only enhanced their faith and submission.” [Surah
Ahzaab verse 22]
Nonetheless, the Jews as well as the hypocrites acted treacherously and deceptively
on this expedition. The Muslims were thus wedged in on all sides by the enemy on
the outside and an enemy within. Due to the frustrating difficulties of the siege,
Rasulullah  thought that perhaps the Muslims, driven by natural human
nature, would be thrown into a cauldron of panic and anxiety. This is why
Rasulullah  proposed that a peace treaty be fostered with ‘Uyaynah bin
Hisn and Haaris bin ‘Awf (both leaders of the Ghitfaan tribes) by offering them a
third of the produce of the palm orchards of Madinah. This proposal, Rasulullah
 deduced, would drive them away from supporting Abu Sufyaan and also
somewhat relieve the current siege. Subsequently, Rasulullah  expressed
this idea before S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  and S‘ad bin ‘Ubaadah . They replied:
“O Rasulullah ! Did Allah Ta’ala command you to do this? If yes, it
would only be our pleasure to execute this divine commandment or are you
proposing this merely out of affection and compassion for us?” Rasulullah
 replied: “This is not a divine commandment of Allah. This is merely a
suggestion on my part with your best interests at heart. All the Arabs have united
their forces against you and they are ‘raining down arrows onto you from a single
bow’. With the strategy I have in mind, I wish to undermine their united stance
and chip away at their cohesive strength.”
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  submitted: “O Rasulullah ! When all of us
were disbelievers, we worshipped idols. We had no idea whatsoever about Allah
Ta’ala. Even at that time none of them had the guts to take a single bunch of dates
from us except as a guest or by purchasing it from us. And now when Allah Ta’ala
has blessed us with this incomparable gift of Hidaayat (divine guidance) and
honoured us with Islam we must surrender our wealth to them? This is impossible!
By Allah! We have no need to relinquish our wealth to these people. By Allah! We
will present them with nothing but the sword. They may do as they deem fit.”
Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  then took hold of Rasulullah’s 
blessed hand and rubbed out the entire text of the proposed peace agreement that
was written down in this respect.
Two weeks passed like this without any actual combat. During these two
weeks, both sides merely engaged in lobbing arrows at one another. At length, a
few mounted warriors of the Quraysh; ‘Amr bin ‘Abduwudd, ‘Ikramah bin Abi
Jahal, Hubairah bin Abi Wahab, Diraar bin Khattaab and Nawfal bin ‘Abdullah,
stepped out to engage the Muslims. When they reached the trenches, they
remarked: “By Allah! We’ve never had such deceptive tactics amongst the Arabs
before this.”
One section of the trench was a bit narrow. They managed to breach this weak
spot, scaled over and challengingly roused the Muslims to step out for hand-to-
Chapter 18 371
hand combat. Amr bin ‘Abduwudd, who had dropped down wounded in the battle
of Badr, was encased in a full-body armour covering him from head to toe. In a
menacing tone, he hailed: “Is there anyone who dares to take me on?” In response
to this challenge, the lion of Allah, Hadhrat Ali  stepped forth and said: “O
‘Amr! I call you unto Allah and His Rasool. I invite you towards Islam.” ‘Amr
disdainfully replied: “I have no need for such things.” Hadhrat Ali  said:
“Okay, I now invite you to fight with me.” ‘Amr replied: “You are still a youngster.
Send me someone elder than you. I hate killing someone as young as you.” Hadhrat
Ali  replied: “But I would love to kill you.” This drove him into a blind rage.
He dismounted his horse and marched up to Hadhrat Ali . At once, he
attacked Hadhrat Ali  with his sword. He managed to deflect the strike with
his shield but was slightly wounded on his forehead. Hadhrat Ali  then
launched an attack on him and finished him off for good.
Hadhrat Ali  yelled out the Takbeer of Allahu Akbar! This was a sign to
the Muslims of his triumph over his enemy.
Nawfal bin ‘Abdullah advanced with the sole intention of assassinating
Rasulullah . He was mounted on a horse. He attempted to leap across the
trench but he fell into it and broke his neck. The disbelievers tendered ten thousand
Dirhams to Rasulullah  in exchange of Nawfal’s body but Rasulullah
 responded: “He was filthy and the diyat (blood money) offered is also
filthy. Allah’s curse is upon him and his blood money. We have absolutely no need
for his ten thousand nor for his body for that matter.” Rasulullah  then
relinquished his body without any form of exchange.
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  was struck on his jugular by an arrow. He then made
the following dua:
O Allah! If this battle with the Quraysh is bound to last (for some time) then
make me last also accordingly because I have no yearning greater than fighting the
people who subjected Your Messenger to such hardship, falsified him and evicted
him from the safe Haram. O Allah! If this is the end of the war, make this injury a
source of my martyrdom and do not take my life away until I am able to cool my
eyes with the humiliation of the Banu Qurayzah.”
This was one of the fiercest days of the battle. Most of the day passed in
encountering and launching arrows and rocks. In this turbulence, Rasulullah
 missed four Salaahs.
Rasulullah  had secured the women and children in one of the forts.
The fort was in close proximity to the locality of one of the Jewish tribes. Hadhrat
Safiyyah , Rasulullah’s  father’s sister was also confined to the
fort. Hadhrat Hassaan  was appointed to keep guard over the fort. Hadhrat
Safiyyah  caught sight of a Jew wandering about the fort. She feared that he
may be a spy or he may be engaged in some wicked activity. She addressed
Hadhrat Hassaan : “Go out and kill him. He should not divulge any
information about us to the enemy.” He replied: “Don’t you know? I am not
appointed for that purpose and I am incapable of doing such a thing.” Hadhrat
Safiyyah  then decided to take matters into her own hands; she got hold of a
tent peg and struck the jew with such force that his head cracked open. She told
Hassaan : “He is a man and I am a woman. So I cannot touch him. Go and
take off his weapons.” Hadhrat Hassaan  replied: “I have no need for his
weapons and goods.”
During the course of the siege, one of the chieftains of the Ghitfaan tribe,
Nu‘aim bin Mas’ood Ashja‘i appeared in the presence of Rasulullah  and
submitted: “O Rasulullah! I have embraced Islam and I believe in you. My people
are ignorant about my accepting Islam. Subject to your approval, I wish to embark
on a strategy that would eliminate this blockade.” Rasulullah  replied:
“Sure. You are a man of great experience. If such a manoeuvre is possible, go for it
because after all ‘war is deception’.”
Subsequently, Nu‘aim  initiated such a deceptive strategy in motion that
rent the alliance between the Banu Qurayzah and the Quraysh. This forced the
Banu Qurayzah to withdraw all forms of support they offered to the Quraysh.
Following the deaths of ‘Amr bin Abduwudd and Nawfal, the remaining
Qurayshi warriors (who had managed to breach the trench) made a hasty retreat in
defeat.
Abu Sa’eed Khudri  narrates: “Citing the strain and harshness of this
siege, we pleaded with Rasulullah  to make dua for us. Rasulullah
 replied: “Make the following dua:
‫اللهم است عوراتنا وآمن روعتنا‬

“O Allah! Conceal our shortcomings and eliminate the source of our fear.”
Rasulullah  also made the following dua:
‫حزاب اهزمهم‬O‫ وهازم ا‬،‫ ومري السحاب‬،‫اللهم منل الكتاب‬

‫وانصنا عليهم‬
“O Allah! The revealer of the divine book, the driver of the clouds, the vanquisher of
the confederates! Defeat them and shower us with Your divine assistance.”
Allah Ta’ala accepted this dua of Rasulullah . He subjected the Quraysh
and Ghitfaan to such a violent wind that uprooted their tents. The tent-ropes
snapped. Cauldrons and other utensils overturned. A steady stream of sand and grit
blowing into the eyes, threw the entire army of the disbelievers into utter confusion
and absolute disorder. In this regard Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse:
Chapter 18 373
‫ﺤﺎ و ﺟ ﻨ ۡﻮدًا‬ ْ ‫اذﻛﺮ ۡوا ﻧ ْﻌﻤﺔ اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻜ ْﻢ ا ْذ ﺟﺂءﺗْﻜ ْﻢ ﺟﻨ ۡﻮدٌ ﻓﺎ ْرﺳ ْﻠﻨﺎ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬
ً ۡ ‫ رﻳ‬$ ْ
‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨﻮا‬
‫ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ‬

ۡ
﴾ۚ ۹﴿ ‫ﲑا‬ ً ‫ﻛﺎن اﷲ ﺑﻤﺎ ﺗ ْﻌﻤﻠ ۡﻮن ﺑﺼ‬ ْ ْ
‫ و‬MN‫ﻟﻢ ﺗ ﺮو ﻫﺎ‬
“O you who believe! Remember the favour of Allah upon you when a number of
armies came to you. So We despatched upon them (the disbelievers) a wind and
such forces, which you were unable to perceive (i.e. angels). And Allah is vigilant
over your actions.” [Surah Ahzaab verse 9]
In this verse, the phrase ‘forces, which you were unable to perceive’ refers to the
angels who infused terror and anxiety into the hearts of the disbelievers whilst
fortifying the hearts of the Muslims. In this manner, a ten-thousand-strong force of
the disbelievers fled in abject disarray. As Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬
‫ﻛﺎن اﷲ ﻗﻮ ﻳًﺎ‬ ‫و‬ MN ‫ﺎل‬‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻘ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺆ‬‫ﻛ ﻔﻲ اﷲ اﻟ ﻤ‬ ً ‫ﺧ‬ ْ ْ ‫و ر د اﷲ‬
‫ و‬MN‫ﲑا‬ ‫ ﻟﻢ ﻳ ﻨﺎﻟﻮا‬$‫ﻛ ﻔ ﺮوا ﺑ ﻐﻴﻈ‬
‫ﻦ‬

ۡ
﴾ ۲۵ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻋﺰﻳ ًﺰا‬

“Despite the rage of the disbelievers, Allah drove them back. They gained no good
(booty). Allah sufficed for the believers in the fighting (by sending a wind and
angels against the disbelievers). And Allah is strong and mighty.”
Huzaifah bin Yamaan  narrates: “Rasulullah  instructed me to
gather some information about the Quraysh. I submitted: “I fear being captured by
the enemy.” Rasulullah  replied: “Never! You will never be captured.”
Rasulullah  then made the following dua for me:
‫ ومن‬،‫ وعن شمال‬،‫ وعن يمينه‬،‫ ومن خلفه‬،‫اللهم احفظه من بي يديه‬

‫ ومن تته‬،‫فوقه‬
“O Allah! Protect him from his front, from behind him, from his right, from his left,
from above and from beneath him.”
Due to this dua of Rasulullah , all my anxieties faded away and with a
sense of elation I set off. As I was leaving, Rasulullah  cautioned:
“Huzaifah! Avoid doing anything unwarranted.”
When I crept into their camp, the wind was blustering so fiercely that nothing
was motionless and the night was so dark that nothing was visible. As I drew closer
to them, I heard Abu Sufyaan muttering: “O people of the Quraysh! This is not a
place to stick around. Our animals have perished, Banu Qurayzah have abandoned
us and this wind has hurled us all into a state of utter confusion. Moving about and
even sitting here is almost unbearable. It is best for us to return without delay.”
Saying this, Abu Sufyaan mounted his camel.
Huzaifah  narrates: “At that instant I thought of shooting an arrow at
him but the words of Rasulullah  came to mind that, ‘Huzaifah! Avoid
doing anything unwarranted’. I then returned to our base.”
As the Quraysh started retreating, Rasulullah  remarked:
ٓ
‫ نن نسي الهم‬،‫ يغزونا‬O‫ن نغز وهم و‬O‫ا‬
“Now we will attack them and they will not attack us. We will now advance and
launch an offensive against them.”
In other words, the forces of kufr have become so weak that they lack the nerve to
take offensive action against Islam, with Islam merely taking a defensive stance. On
the contrary, now Islam has turned into such a powerful force that it will launch
offensive strikes against the forces of kufr instead of just taking defensive measures
against them.
Note: Those who argue against the concept of offensive Jihaad in Islam should
read the aforementioned Hadith of Bukhaari very attentively.
Early the next morning Rasulullah  made preparation to return to
Madinah and the following words were on his blessed tongue:
ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َّ َ ٰ ٓ َ
‫ك‬
ِ < ‫شيك ل ل الملك ول المد وهو‬ ِ O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬Oِ ‫ ا ِل ا‬O
َ َ َ
‫ َص َدق‬،‫ج ُد ۡون ل َِر ّب ِ َنا َحام ُِد ۡون‬ ‫ا‬ َ ‫ ا ٰئ ُب ۡو َن تَائ ُب ۡو َن َعب ُد ۡو َن‬،‫ش ٍء قَدِيۡ ٌر‬
‫س‬ ۡ َ
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ۡ
َ ‫ ۡح َز‬O‫ َوه َز َم ا‬، ُ‫ص َع ۡب َده‬
ُ‫اب َو ۡح َده‬ َ َ َ‫ َو ن‬، ُ‫ َو ۡع َده‬4‫ا‬ ُ ّٰ
“There is none worthy of worship but Allah. He has no partner. To Him belongs all
supremacy and praise and He has absolute control over everything. We have
returned, we are repentant, we are prostrate before our Lord and we praise Him
Alone. Allah has fulfilled His promise, assisted His servant and vanquished the
confederates all Alone.”
The siege lasted for fifteen days.
In this expedition, the disbelievers lost three men; Nawfal bin ‘Abdullah, ‘Amr
bin Abduwudd and Maniyyah bin ‘Ubaid whilst six people died as martyrs from
the Muslims. They were:
1. S‘ad bin Mu’aaz 
2. Anas bin Uwais 
3. ‘Abdullah bin Sahal 
Chapter 18 375
4. Tufail bin Nu’maan 

5. S‘alabah bin ‘Anamah 
6. K‘ab bin Zaid 
Hafiz Dimyaati includes a further two names to this list:
7. Qays bin Zaid 
8. ‘Abdullah bin Abi Khaalid 
Expedition of Banu Qurayzah

Rasulullah  returned a little while after Fajr from the expedition of the
trench. He as well as the Muslims undid their armour and removed their weapons.
As the time of Zuhr Salaah drew closer, Jibraa’eel  appeared before
Rasulullah  mounted on a mule and donning a turban. He asked: “Did
you take off your armour and weapons already?” When Rasulullah 
replied in the affirmative, Jibraa’eel  said: “The angels have neither put down
their arms as yet nor have they returned (from the battle). Allah Ta’ala commands
you to proceed towards Banu Qurayzah. I am also on my way to Banu Qurayzah to
jolt them.”
Hadhrat Anas  narrates: “A peace treaty existed between Rasulullah
 and the Banu Qurayzah. When the Quraysh turned up with a ten
thousand strong force to launch an attack on Madinah, the Banu Qurayzah violated
the terms of this treaty and joined the Quraysh. When Allah Ta’ala defeated the
confederates (the Quraysh and their allies), the Banu Qurayzah scurried into their
fortresses and took cover. Jibraa’eel , in the company of a significant number
of other angels, appeared before Rasulullah  and submitted: ‘O Rasulullah
! Set off for the Banu Qurayzah without any delay.’ Rasulullah 
responded: ‘My companions are still exhausted.’ Jibraa’eel  replied: ‘Do not
worry about this. Immediately proceed towards the Banu Qurayzah. I am on my
way to jolt them.’ Saying this, Jibraa’eel , accompanied by a great number of
angels, proceeded towards the Banu Qurayzah. The whole of Banu Ghanam road
was clouded with dust (caused by the movement of the angels).”
Hadhrat Anas  says: “I can still visualise the dust that was raised by the
mount of Jibraa’eel  on Banu Ghanam road.”
Nonetheless, when Jibraa’eel  departed, Rasulullah  instructed
the Sahaabah : “None of you should perform his ‘Asr Salaah but in Banu
Qurayzah.”
When the time for ‘Asr Salaah set in, en route to Banu Qurayzah, a difference
of opinion erupted amongst the Sahaabah . Some of them insisted that they
would perform their ‘Asr Salaah only when they reach Banu Qurayzah whilst the
others maintained that they would read it enroute as they argued that this was not
the objective of Rasulullah . (They maintained that the aim of Rasulullah
 was not that the Salaah be disregarded altogether but his aim was to
persuade them to make haste in reaching Banu Qurayzah.) When Rasulullah
 was informed of this conflict, he did not express disapproval towards
any of the two parties because both parties had good intentions.
Thereafter Rasulullah  despatched Hadhrat Ali  with the
battle-ensign of Islam. As Hadhrat Ali  landed there, he was greeted with a
whole community of enraged Jews openly hurling abuse and foul language against
Rasulullah  (and this in itself is an unpardonable sin).
Thereafter Rasulullah  set out himself and laid siege to the Banu
Qurayzah. This siege continued for twenty-five long days. During this time, their
leader, K‘ab bin Asad assembled the people of his tribe and addressed them thus: “I
wish to propose three options before you. One of these three options would assure
your deliverance from this ordeal.
ّٰ
‫ لقد تبي لكم انه لب مرسل وانه للي تدونه ف كتابكم‬،4‫فوا‬
‫فتامنون < دمائكم واموالكم وابناءكم ونساءكم‬
The first option is that you embrace Islam and believe in this man (Muhammad
Rasulullah ) because it has become quite obvious to you that this man is
truly a divine Messenger and this is the same man whose attributes you find
written in the Torah. If you embrace Islam, you will be able to protect your lives,
your possessions, your children and your wives.”
The Banu Qurayzah retorted: “Never! We will by no means consent to this
proposal. We will never renounce our faith.”
K‘ab said: “Fine, if you do not wish to adopt this proposal, my second proposal
is that you kill your wives and children thereby liberating yourselves of any
concern for their safety. Take your swords and fight gallantly and courageously
against Muhammad (Rasulullah ). If you are unsuccessful in your conflict
with Muhammad (Rasulullah ), you would not suffer any heartache in
regards to your wives and children and if you are triumphant, women are aplenty
and you will also be able to produce children through them.”
The Banu Qurayzah replied: “If we kill our wives and children without any
justifiable cause, what pleasure would life have to offer after that?”
K‘ab responded: “Okay, if you do not agree to this, I have a final proposal to
make. Tonight is the Sabbath (Saturday). In all probability Muhammad and his
Chapter 18 377
companions would be laid-back today under the notion that since this is a sacred
day to the Jews, the Jews wouldn’t be able to launch an attack against them. Why
don’t you avail yourselves of this negligent attitude of the Muslims and launch a
sudden offensive against them tonight?”
The Banu Qurayzah replied: “O K‘ab! You very well know that our forefathers
were transformed into apes and pigs for desecrating this holy day. So how dare you
make such a proposal?”
Nonetheless, the Banu Qurayzah rebuffed every one of K‘ab’s proposals.
The Banu Qurayzah enjoyed an alliance with Abu Lubaabah bin ‘Abdul-
Munzir . This is why they reasoned that perhaps Abu Lubaabah 
would be able to offer them some assistance in these trying times. So they
requested Rasulullah  to send Abu Lubaabah  to them to seek his
advice and counsel. Rasulullah  permitted him to go to them. As he
landed there, they all congregated around him. The moment their women and
children caught sight of him, they burst out crying. On seeing this pitiable sight,
Abu Lubaabah  was overwhelmed with sympathy for them. They asked him:
“Should we accept Rasulullah’s  instructions and succumb to his
verdict?” Abu Lubaabah  replied: “Yes, that is the best option.” Whilst saying
this he ran a finger across his neck alerting them to Rasulullah’s  decision
to slaughter them.
Abu Lubaabah  barely rose from his seat when he realised his folly. He
severely castigated himself for betraying the trust of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool
. From there he went directly to the Masjid and tied himself up to a
pillar. He swore an oath: “I will never move from this place until Allah pardons my
sin.” He also vowed that he would never set foot in Banu Qurayzah ever again and
added: “I will never set my eyes upon the locality in which I was guilty of
betraying Allah and His Rasool .”
When Rasulullah  learnt of this, he remarked: “If he came directly to
me, I would have sought forgiveness on his behalf but since he has already done
what he has done, I will not release him from his bonds until Allah Himself
pardons him.”
Ultimately, the Banu Qurayzah were compelled to surrender to whatever
decision Rasulullah  had in store for them.
Just as the Khazraj tribe were allies of the Banu Nazeer, similarly, the Aws
tribe were allies of the Banu Qurayzah. This is why the people of Aws pleaded with
Rasulullah  and beseeched: “O Rasulullah ! Just as you dealt
with the people of Banu Nazeer on the request of their allies, the Khazraj, we the
Aws, implore you to deal with our allies, the Banu Qurayzah in a like manner.”
Rasulullah  replied: “Would you not be pleased if a man from amongst
yourselves makes a decision in this regard?” “Surely,” they replied, “we would be
pleased with the decision made by S‘ad bin Mu’aaz .”
When Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  was wounded in the battle of Khandaq
(the trench), Rasulullah  erected a tent for him in the Masjid so that he
could visit him often. Rasulullah  sent someone to fetch him. He mounted
a donkey and as he drew closer, Rasulullah  said: “Stand up in honour of
your leader.”
When he dismounted and sat down comfortably, Rasulullah  said:
“In regards to the Banu Qurayzah, these people have consigned the decision-
making over to you.”
S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  replied: “My decision is as follows: their combatants
i.e. their men should be executed and their women and children taken as slaves.
Furthermore, all their wealth and possessions should be distributed amongst the
Muslims.” To this, Rasulullah  remarked: “Certainly you have passed
judgement according to the divine commandment of Allah Ta’ala.”
Thereafter, Hadhrat S‘ad  made the following dua:
“O Allah! You are well aware that nothing is dearer to me than waging Jihaad
against the people who falsified Your Messenger and banished him from the Haram.
O Allah! It appears to me that You have now terminated war between us and them.
So if we are still destined to go to war with the Quraysh, keep me alive to wage
Jihaad against them in Your path and if You have decreed an end to fighting with
them, cause this wound to gush forth and make it a source of my martyrdom.”
He barely completed this dua when his wound gushed forth and he passed away.
Inna Lillaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji‘oon
Hadhrat Jaabir  narrates that he heard Rasulullah  saying:
“The throne of Allah shuddered at the death of S‘ad bin Mu’aaz.” According to
another narration, all the doors of the heavens were thrown open for him, and the
angels of the skies were delighted with the ascension of his soul.
Seventy thousand angels, who had never before descended from the skies,
participated in his Janaazah Salaah. In regards to this incident, an Ansaari
composed the following stanza:
‫ من موت هالك‬4‫وما اهت عرش ا‬
‫لسعد اب عمرو‬O‫سمعنا به ا‬
“We have not heard of the throne of Allah shudder upon the death of anyone, except
for the death of Abu ‘Amr S‘ad bin Mu’aaz.”
It is said that his grave would emit the fragrance of musk. And Allah Ta’ala knows
best.
Ultimately, all members of the Banu Qurayzah clan were captured and
brought back to Madinah. They were detained in an Ansaari lady’s house. A
Chapter 18 379
number of trenches were dug in the vicinity of the market place. Thereafter, the
(male) prisoners would be brought out of this house in sets of two and four,
escorted to these trenches and beheaded. Huyayy bin Akhtab and the chieftain of
the Banu Qurayzah, K‘ab bin Asad were also executed. When Huyayy bin Akhtab
(the man who influenced K‘ab bin Asad the chieftain of the Banu Qurayzah to
betray Rasulullah  and breach the peace agreement) was brought before
Rasulullah , Huyayy cast his gaze towards Rasulullah  and
said: “By Allah, I do not condemn myself for harbouring enmity against you but
the truth of the matter is that he whom Allah refrains from assisting will never get
assistance from anyone else.”
Saying this, he then directed his gaze towards his people and remarked: “O
people! This is not a problem. The divine punishment Allah had decreed for the
Bani Israa’eel and the suffering He had predestined for them has come to pass.”
Saying this, Huyayy sat down and he was then put to the sword.
None of the women were executed except one woman whose crime was that
she dropped a millstone from an upper story thereby martyring Khallaad bin
Suwaid . Her name was Bunaanah. She was the wife of Hakam Qurazi.
The executed numbered four hundred whilst the remaining captives of women
and children were sent to Najd and Syria to be sold as slaves. The proceeds from
this sale was used to purchase horses and arms. The goods and possession seized
from the Banu Qurayzah were distributed amongst the Muslims.
Allah Ta’ala describes the incident of Banu Qurayzah in the following words:
ْ
‫ اﻟﺮﻋﺐ ﻓﺮﻳ ۡ ًﻘﺎ‬$‫ و ﻗ ﺬ ف ﰲۡ ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑ‬$ ْ ‫ﻦ ﺻﻴﺎﺻ ۡﻴ‬ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻇﺎﻫﺮ ۡوﻫ ۡﻢ ﻣ ْﻦ ا ۡﻫﻞ اﻟْﻜ ٰﺘﺐ ﻣ‬ ۡ
‫و اﻧﺰ ل‬

ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ
ً
MN‫ و ارﺿﺎ ﻟﻢ ﺗ ﻄـ ﻮ ﻫﺎ‬$ ‫ﻫﻢ و اﻣﻮاﻟ‬ ‫ و دﻳﺎر‬$ ‫ﺿ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ار‬ ً
‫﴾ و اورﺛ‬۲۶ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺗﻘ ﺘﻠﻮ ن وﺗﺎﺳﺮو ن ﻓﺮﻳﻘﺎ‬

ۡ ۡ
﴾ ۲۷٪ ﴿ ‫ﻞ ¡ ٍء ﻗﺪﻳ ًﺮا‬ ٰ
‫ﻛ‬ ¤‫ﺎن اﷲ ﻋ‬ ‫وﻛ‬

“And those of the people of the book who assisted them (the disbelievers), Allah
brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts (so that) a
group of them you killed and a group of them you took as captives. And Allah made
you heirs to their lands and houses, and their riches and a land that you had not
trodden before. And Allah has absolute power over everything.”
[Surah Ahzaab verses 26-27]
Note: This judgement of Hadhrat S‘ad bin Mu’aaz  against the Banu
Qurayzah was actually in line with the divine statute laid down by the Torah (old
testament) and in which they (the Jews of the Banu Qurayzah) firmly believed.
Meanwhile, Abu Lubaabah  who was tied to the pillar of the Masjid
used to be released only for Salaah and for answering the call of nature. He refused
to eat and drink and declared: “I will not budge until I either die or Allah Ta’ala
accepts my repentance.” At the hour of dawn, on the sixth day of his self-imposed
punishment, divine pardon was revealed in his favour. At that time, Rasulullah
 was in the house of Umme Salamah . With the consent of
Rasulullah , Hadhrat Umme Salamah  passed on the good news to
him and offered her congratulations. When the Muslims dashed over to unravel his
knots, he said: “Hang on, I swore an oath that as long as Rasulullah  does
not untie me with his blessed hands, I will remain tied up.” When Rasulullah
 appeared for Fajr Salaah, he undid his knots and released him with his
own blessed hands.
In regards to Hadhrat Abu Lubaabah , Allah Ta’ala revealed the
following verse:
ْ ۡ ۤ ۡ ٰ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬
﴾۲۷﴿ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ واﻧﺘ ْﻢ ﺗﻌ ﻠ ﻤ ۡﻮن‬
‫ﺨ ۡﻮﻧ ۡﻮا ا ٰﻣ ٰﻨﺘ‬ ۡ
‫اﻟﺮ ﺳﻮ ل وﺗ‬‫ﺨ ۡﻮﻧﻮا اﷲ و‬
‫ﻦ ا ﻣ ﻨﻮا ﻻ ﺗ‬ ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬

“O you who believe! Do not betray Allah and His Messenger nor knowingly
betray your Amaanaat (things entrusted to you).” [Surah Anfaal verse 27]
His divine pardon was revealed in the following verses:
ْ ‫ ﻋﺴﻲ اﷲ ا ۡن ﻳﺘ ۡﻮب ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬MN‫ﺤﺎ و ٰاﺧﺮ ﺳﻴ ًﺌﺎ‬

‫ ا ن‬MN$ ً ‫ ﺧ ﻠﻄ ۡﻮا ﻋﻤ ًﻼ ﺻﺎﻟ‬$ْ ‫اﻋﱰﻓ ۡﻮا ﺑﺬﻧ ۡﻮﺑ‬

ْ
‫ﺧﺮ ۡون‬‫و ٰا‬

﴾۱۰۲﴿ ‫اﷲ ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬

“And there are others who confess their sins, they have mixed a good deed with
another that is evil. Perhaps Allah will forgive them. Allah is all-forgiving, most
merciful.” [Surah Taubah verse 102]
Abu Lubaabah  remained tied to the pillar of the Masjid for twenty days (as
per another narration). When this verse was revealed, Rasulullah  went
to the Masjid, conveyed the good news to him and unravelled his knots with his
own blessed hands.
Rasulullah’s  Nikah with Hadhrat Zaynab 
During the same year, i.e. 5 A.H. Rasulullah  married Hadhrat Zaynab
bint Jahsh . A detailed account of Rasulullah’s  Nikah with
Hadhrat Zaynab  will appear in the chapter of “Azwaaj-e-Mutahharaat” (the
pure wives of Rasulullah ), Insha Allah.
Revelation of Hijaab
It was during the Walimah of Hadhrat Zaynab  that the verses of Hijaab
were revealed. Allah Ta’ala decrees: “And if you have to ask them (the women) for
Chapter 18 381
anything, ask them from behind the hijaab (screen).” This is a verse of Surah
Ahzaab and this verse is referred to as the verse of hijaab. In other words, a woman
is prohibited to appear before anyone she is permitted to marry.
Expedition of Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansaari  towards

Qurta - 10th Muharram 6 A.H.
On the 10th of Muharram 6 A.H., Rasulullah  despatched thirty mounted
warriors under the command of Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansaari  towards
Qurta. Following a successful attack, ten men of the enemy were killed and the rest
of them dispersed. One hundred and fifty camels and three thousand goats were
seized as booty. Driving this sizeable booty before them, they reached Madinah
after nineteen days on the 29th of Muharram and presented it to Rasulullah
. After drawing out the khums (one fifth), Rasulullah 
distributed the remainder amongst the Mujaahideen. For purposes of distribution,
one camel was equated with ten goats.
Islam of Sumaamah bin Usaal

Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah  narrates that they captured Sumaamah bin Usaal,
the chieftain of the Banu Hanifah tribe and brought him before Rasulullah
. Rasulullah  ordered that he be tied to one of the pillars of the
Masjid (so that he may witness first hand the spectacle of the Salaah of the
Muslims and their humility in the court of Allah Ta’ala. Such a spectacle used to
induce people to remember Allah Ta’ala and enabled them to engender an
inclination for the hereafter within their hearts. Their spiritual illumination and
divine purity would cleanse the spiritual darkness of the hearts).
When Rasulullah  passed Sumaamah bin Usaal, he asked him: “O
Sumaamah! What thoughts do you entertain of me?” Sumaamah replied: “I only
harbour good thoughts of you.
‫ان تقتل تقتل ذا دم وان تنعم تنعم < شاكر وان كنت تريد المال‬
‫فسل منه ما شئت‬
“If you execute me you will be executing a person who deserves it, if you extend
your kindness towards me you will be extending it to one who is grateful and if it is
wealth you desire, ask whatever you wish.”
On hearing this, Rasulullah  remained silent and went away. On the
second day, when Rasulullah  passed by, he asked: “O Sumaamah! What
thoughts do you entertain of me?” Sumaamah, sensing the compassionate tone of

Rasulullah , avoided the first and second sentences and merely replied:
‫ان تنعم تنعم < شاكر‬

“If you extend your munificence towards me you will be extending it to one who is
grateful.”
On hearing this, once again Rasulullah  remained silent and went away.
On the third day, Rasulullah  put the same question to him but
Sumaamah simply said: “I entertain the same thoughts as I had mentioned to you
previously.” Today, Sumaamah did not even mention: “If you extend your kindness
towards me you will be extending it to one who is grateful.” He consigned his fate
to the excellent character and boundless affection of Rasulullah .
Rasulullah  addressed the Sahaabah  saying: “Untie the bonds
of Sumaamah.”
Rasulullah  then addressed Sumaamah himself and said:
‫قد عفوت عنك يا ثمامة واعتقتك‬

“O Sumaamah! I have pardoned you and set you free.”
The moment he was released, Sumaamah headed off to a palm-orchard situated
near the Masjid. He took a bath there and after returning to the Masjid, he
declared: “I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I bear witness
that Muhammad is His Messenger.”
He then turned towards Rasulullah  and said: “O Muhammad!
Before this, there was nothing more disgusting to me in this world than your face
but today there is nothing more appealing and dear to me in this world than your
face. Before this, your Deen (religion) was the most revolting to me and today your
Deen is most precious to me. Before this, your city was the most repellent to me
but today your city is the most cherished city. I was on my way to perform Umrah
when I was accosted by your mounted warriors. What is your instruction now?”
Rasulullah  directed him to continue on his journey to perform Umrah
and issued him with glad tidings. (In other words, ‘go ahead and perform Umrah.
You will be safe; nobody will harm you.)
When Sumaamah landed in Makkah, a disbeliever reproached him:
“Sumaamah, you have become an apostate by renouncing your Deen.” Sumaamah
replied: “Never! I have become a Muslim with Rasulullah .” In other
words, I have not become an apostate. Kufr and shirk (disbelief and polytheism) are
certainly not any elements of Deen. They are unfounded and futile ideologies. In
fact, I have become a submissive servant of Allah Ta’ala and I have submitted
myself over to Him.
Chapter 18 383
Sumaamah  then added: “I will never return to your fictitious religion

and remember that the wheat you were importing from Yamaamah, you will not
receive a grain of it until Rasulullah  approves.”
When Sumaamah reached Yamaamah, he imposed a grain blockade on
Makkah and cut off all food supplies to them. The Quraysh were forced to write to
Rasulullah  pleading with him: “You command maintenance of
favourable family ties. We are after all, your family. We beg you to write to
Sumaamah and instruct him to resume supply of our food grains.” Rasulullah
 wrote a note to Sumaamah  instructing him not to interrupt the
grain supplies from Yamaamah.
Masalah: It is Mustahab for a person who embraces Islam to take a bath.
Sumaamah bin Usaal  was from amongst the eminent Sahaabah .
When the people of Yamaamah turned apostate after the demise of Rasulullah
 and joined Musaylamah the fraud, Sumaamah  recited the
following verses before his people:
ْ H ۡ ‫ ۚ﴾ ﺗ ۡﻨﺰﻳۡﻞ اﻟْﻜ ٰﺘﺐ ﻣﻦ اﷲ اﻟْﻌﺰﻳۡﺰ اﻟْﻌﻠ‬۱﴿ ٓ‫ﺣﻢ‬
º ‫اﻟﺘ ْﻮب ﺷﺪﻳۡﺪ اﻟﻌ ﻘﺎب‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺎﺑ‬ ‫ﻗ‬
‫و‬ ‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ \‫ا‬
‫ﺮ‬‫ﺎﻓ‬‫ﻏ‬ ﴾ۙ ۲﴿ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻴ‬
ٰ

ۤ
MN‫ ا ﻻ ﻫ ﻮ‬u

ٰ ‫ ﻻ ا‬M ‫ذي اﻟﻄ ْﻮل‬

“Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem. Haa Meem! The revelation of the book is from
Allah, the Almighty, all-Knowing. He is the forgiver of sin and the acceptor of
repentance, He is severe in punishment and provider of (favours). There is none
worthy of worship besides Him.” [Surah Ghaafir verses 1-3]
He then declared: “Goodness! Why are you not fair? What parallel can there ever
be between this incomparable divine word and the meaningless nonsense of
Musaylamah?”
These truthful words immersed in the sincerity of Sumaamah  had a
profound effect on his audience. Three thousand of Musaylamah’s adherents
deserted him and re-entered the fold of Islam.
Hadhrat Sumaamah  made painstaking efforts in preventing them from
joining Musaylamah. He addressed them saying:
‫ عزوجل < من‬4‫نور فيه وانه لشقاء كتبه ا‬O ‫اياكم وامرا مظلما‬
‫ء < من لم ياخذ منكم يا بن حنيفة‬K‫اخذ به منكم وب‬
“O people! Beware of this sinister evil in which there is absolutely no light.
Certainly this is wretchedness predestined by Allah Ta’ala upon those who have
accepted it and it is a test for those who have not. O Banu Hanifah! Bear this advice
in mind.”
However, when Hadhrat Sumaamah  realised that his words were falling on
deaf ears and people were still flocking to Musaylamah, the fraud, he addressed the
Muslims who were with him saying: “By Allah! I will never reside in this city. I see
that Allah Ta’ala has inflicted these people with a divine fitnah (tribulation). Those
who wish to depart with me may do so.”
Saying this, Hadhrat Sumaamah  set out with a group of Muslims and
joined ‘Alaa bin Hadrami .
In this regards, Hadhrat Sumaamah  composed the following stanzas:
‫مسيلمة الكذاب اذ جاء يسجع‬ ‫دعنا ا¯ ترك اليانة والهدى‬

“He (Musaylamah) beckoned us to abandon religion and divine guidance as he was
busy engaged in saying couplets in rythemic form.
ّ
‫والغ اشنع‬ ّ ‫ل ف سبيل‬
‫الغ‬ ‫فيا عجبا من مـعش قد تتابعوا‬
How weird are those who chose a path of deviation by following him whereas
deviation in itself is appalling.”
Expedition of Bani Lihyaan - Rabi‘ul-Awwal 6 A.H.

With the aim of avenging the deaths of ‘Aasim bin Saabit, Khubaib bin ‘Adi and
other martyrs of Raj‘i, Rasulullah  set out himself in the company of two
hundred mounted warriors on the 1st of Rabi‘ul-Awwal 6 A.H. The moment the
Banu Lihyaan heard of Rasulullah’s  imminent arrival, they scurried
away and took refuge in the mountains. Rasulullah  camped here for one
or two days. He also despatched a few raiding parties (in pursuit of the Banu
Lihyaan). One of these incursions was made up of ten men under the command of
Hadhrat Abu Bakr .
Rasulullah  returned from this expedition without any form of
fighting or physical combat. As he was returning, the following words were on his
blessed tongue:
ّٰ
‫ من وعثاء السفر‬4‫آئبون تائبون عبدون لربنا حامدون اعوذ با‬
ٓ
‫هل والمال‬O‫وكبة المنقلب وسوء المنظر ف ا‬
“We are returning, we are repenting, we are devoted to our Lord and sing our
praises to Him. We seek the refuge of Allah from the difficulties of the journey, from
Chapter 18 385
a distressing return and from an unpleasant sight in regards to our family and
wealth.”
Expedition of Zi Qarad - Rabi‘ul-Awwal 6 A.H.

Zi Qarad is the name of a water spring situated in the environs of Ghitfaan. This
was the grazing land of Rasulullah’s  camels. ‘Uyaynah bin Hisn Fazaari,
in the company of forty mounted horsemen, launched a raid on this meadow and
fled after seizing all the camels. Abu Zarr’s son, who was appointed to guard the
camels, was killed in this raid and Abu Zarr’s  wife was kidnapped.
The instant Salamah bin Akw‘a  discovered what had transpired, he
promptly set out in pursuit. He swiftly climbed atop a hillock and bellowed: “Yaa
Sabaahaa!” thrice. This rousing cry reverberated throughout the city of Madinah.
Salamah bin Akw‘a  was an expert archer. As he tracked them, he came upon
them near a water spring. He continued showering them with volleys of arrows
whilst chanting:
َّ
‫والوم يوم الرضع‬ ‫كوع‬O‫انا ابن ا‬
“I am the son of Akw‘a, this day will determine who drank the milk of a noble
woman or a contemptible woman.”
He continued shadowing them in this manner until he released all the camels and
he also managed to seize thirty Yemeni sheets.
Meanwhile, after the departure of Salamah bin Akw‘a , Rasulullah
 set out himself in the company of five hundred or seven hundred men
and travelling at top speed they landed at that location. Some mounted warriors
were already despatched by Rasulullah  even before the rest of them
departed. This small mounted band engaged the enemy the moment they landed
there. Two of the disbelievers were killed; Mas‘adah bin Hakamah who was killed
by Abu Qataadah  and Abaan bin ‘Umar who was killed by ‘Ukkaashah bin
Mihsan . The Muslims suffered just one casualty; Muhriz bin Nadlah ,
whose title was Akhram. He was martyred by ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Uyaynah.
Salamah bin Akw‘a  appeared before Rasulullah  and
submitted: “O Rasulullah ! I was in hot pursuit of the enemy. I have just
returned from so and so place where I left them thirsty. If I have a hundred men, I
will be able to capture each one of them to the last man.” Rasulullah 
remarked:
‫كوع ! ملكت فاسجح‬O‫يا ابن ا‬

“O Ibnul-Akw‘a! When you gain authority, be compassionate.”
The disbelievers took flight in defeat. Rasulullah  stayed the night and
day at that location and he performed Salaatul-Khawf there as well. After five
days, he returned to Madinah.
Expedition of ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan  towards Ghamr
In the same month, Rabi’ul-Awwal, Rasulullah  sent forty men under the
command of ‘Ukkaashah bin Mihsan  towards Ghamr. However, the moment
the enemy got wind of their imminent arrival, they dispersed. When the Muslim
unit landed there, they found no sign of anyone. They sent Shuj‘a bin Wahab
 to scout about for them. He did not come across any sign of their animals.
However, following a diligent search, he managed to catch one of the kuffaar. He
steered him back to camp where he owned up to the whereabouts of the animals.
The Muslims launched a raid on that area and seized two hundred camels as war
booty.
Expedition of Muhammad Bin Maslamah  towards Zil-

Qassah
During the month of Rabi’ul-Aakhir 6 A.H., Rasulullah  sent ten men
under the command of Muhammad bin Maslamah  towards Zil-Qassah to
confront the forces of Banu S’alabah and Banu ‘Uwaal tribes. They reached at night
and fell into an exhausted sleep the moment they landed there. Meanwhile, the
enemy who was hiding in the mountains launched a menacing attack on the
Muslims. One hundred men launched a nighttime attack upon the Muslims as they
slept and ruthlessly murdered every one of them. Only Muhammad bin Maslamah
 was saved. He was wounded in the attack but left for dead. Another Muslim
who happened to pass by, chanced upon him, picked him up and carried him back
to Madinah.
Expedition of Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah  towards Zil-

Qassah
To avenge their deaths, Rasulullah  sent forty men under the command
of Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah  towards Zil-Qassah. They launched a successful
attack on the disbelievers, who fled in defeat. Abu ‘Ubaidah  seized their
livestock and returned to Madinah. This expedition is referred to as ‘the second
expedition of Zil-Qassah.
Chapter 18 387
Expedition of Jamum
During the same month, Rabi‘ul-Aakhir 6 A.H., Rasulullah  sent Hadhrat
Zaid bin Haarisah  towards Jamum – about four miles from Madinah – to
engage the Banu Sulaim in battle. They only came across a lone woman who
directed them to the other members of the tribe. He returned to Madinah after two
days with a few captives, some camels and a small number of goats.
Expedition of ‘Is
Rasulullah  got wind of a Qurayshi trade caravan returning with goods
from Syria. The moment he received this intelligence, he despatched one hundred
and seventy men under the command of Zaid bin Haarisah  towards a place
called ‘Is.
This place falls on a journey of four days from Madinah Munawwarah. It is
situated on the coast and the Qurayshi trade caravans would routinely pass this
area.
The Muslims (who were perhaps waiting in ambush) captured all the travellers
of this caravan. They also seized all their goods and possessions and returned with
their booty to Madinah. Rasulullah’s  son-in-law, Abul-’Aas bin Rab’i
was also amongst the captives. Rasulullah’s  daughter Hadhrat Zaynab
 offered him sanctuary. So Rasulullah  also guaranteed his
personal safety and returned his goods and possessions.
Hadhrat Abul-’Aas’s return and his acceptance of Islam was discussed in detail
under the chapter of the battle of Badr.
Expedition of Tarif
Tarif is the name of a water spring approximately thirty-six miles from Madinah
Munawwarah. Primarily to punish the Banu S’alabah tribe, Rasulullah 
sent fifteen men under the command of Zaid bin Haarisah  towards this
water spring. However, the enemy fled by the time they got there. Zaid bin
Haarisah  seized a few camels and goats and returned to Madinah.
Expedition of Hasma
Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi  was sent to the emperor of Rome with a letter of
Rasulullah . Whilst he was on his return bearing expensive gifts and
royal presents, as he was passing Hasma, Hunaid Juzaami and a few members of
the Juzaam tribe waylaid him. They seized all his goods and possessions leaving
him with just one old tattered sheet. When Rifa’ah bin Zaid Juzaami (who had
already embraced Islam) heard of this, he, accompanied by a few other Muslims,
went up to Hunaid and retrieved all the usurped goods and returned them to
Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi .
When Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi  retuned to Madinah and informed
Rasulullah  about what transpired, Rasulullah  despatched five
hundred Sahaabah  towards Hasma under the command of Zaid bin
Haarisah .
These Mujaahideen would travel at night and go into hiding during the day.
The instant they landed there, they caught them unawares and launched a deadly
attack on them. Hunaid and his son were killed. Five hundred women and children
were taken captive. They also managed to seize five hundred camels and one
thousand goats.
Since the kinsfolk of Rifa’ah bin Zaid , who had also embraced Islam,
were also living amongst the disbelievers, some of their children and women were
also erroneously captured by the Muslims. When Rifa’ah bin Zaid 
complained of this to Rasulullah , he sent Hadhrat Ali  with him
with instructions to Zaid bin Haarisah  to release all the prisoners and to
return all their goods and possessions forthwith. In fact, he even instructed him to
return seemingly trivial possessions like saddlecloths and saddles.
Expedition of Waadiul-Quraa
During the month of Rajab, Rasulullah  sent Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah
 towards Waadiul-Quraa to punish the Banu Fazaarah tribe. A few Muslims
were martyred and Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah  was wounded in this
expedition.
Expedition of Dawmatul Jandal

Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar  relates: “Rasulullah  was sitting in
the Masjid with ten of his companions; Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Usmaan, Ali, ‘Abdur-
Rahmaan bin ‘Awf, ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ood, Mu’aaz bin Jabal, Huzaifah bin
Yamaan, Abu Sa’eed Khudri and I was the tenth person. Whilst we were sitting
with Rasulullah , a young Ansaari appeared before Rasulullah 
and asked:
‫ ! اي الم ٔومني افضل‬4‫يا رسول ا‬

“O Rasulullah ! Who is the best Muslim?”
Chapter 18 389
‫قا‬K‫احسنهم اخ‬
“The best amongst the Muslims is he who has the best character.”
He then asked:
‫فاي الم ٔومني اكيس‬

“Who is the most intelligent amongst the Muslims?”
‫ اولك هم‬،‫اكثهم للموت ذكرا واكثهم استعدادا ل قبل ان ينل به‬

‫كياس‬O‫ا‬
“The most intelligent amongst them is he who remembers death most frequently
and the one who prepares for it the most before it strikes him. Such people are the
most intelligent.”
The Ansaari youth remained silent after this. Rasulullah  then addressed
his companions and said:
“There are five practises that are awfully deadly. May Allah protect you from
them and may He save you from setting eyes on them. They are:
1. The nation in which immodesty and shamelessness becomes rife is struck with
plagues and such diseases that were never heard of before.
2. The nation that cheats in weight and measure is afflicted with drought and
calamities and a cruel ruler is set upon them.
3. The nation that refrains from paying its Zakaat, rainfall is withheld from them.
If it were not for the animals, they would have been totally deprived of
rainfall.
4. The nation that betrays the trust of Allah and His Rasool , Allah
Ta’ala imposes the supremacy of foreign enemies over them and they (the
foreign enemies) seize whatever they possess.
5. And when the leaders and rulers pass judgement in contrast to Qur-aanic law
and they become arrogant and transgress, Allah Ta’ala brings about disunity
and dissension amongst them.”
Rasulullah  then instructed Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf 
saying: “I will be sending you on a mission either today or tomorrow. Be prepared.”
The following day, just after (the Fajr Salaah), Rasulullah  summoned
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  and seated him right in front of him. He then
proceeded to tie a black ‘Imaamah over his head with his blessed hands leaving a
four-finger-length of its tail hanging out at the back. Rasulullah 
instructed him: ‘Ibn ‘Awf! Always tie your ‘Imaamah like this. It looks
exceptionally pleasant like this.’
Rasulullah  then asked Bilal  to bring a flag and hand it over
to ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf . Rasulullah  thereafter recited the
praises of Allah Ta’ala, recited Durood upon himself and addressed ‘Abdur-
Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  thus: ‘Take this flag and wage Jihaad in the path of
Allah. Engage those who are guilty of kufr with Allah. Do not be treacherous nor
deceptive. Do not mutilate the ears and nose etc. of the dead. Do not kill children.
This is the covenant of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.’”
Thereafter Rasulullah  commanded him to proceed to Dawmatul-
Jandal with a force of seven hundred Mujaahideen. He also advised him: “If they
accept your invitation and embrace Islam, do not hesitate to marry the daughter of
their chief.”
Hadhrat ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  headed off towards Dawmatul-
Jandal and invited them to embrace Islam. For three successive days, he persistently
invited them towards Islam. On the third day, the chief of Dawmatul-Jandal, Isb‘a
bin ‘Umar, who was a Christian, embraced Islam and a number of others also
entered the fold of Islam with him. As per the prophecy of Rasulullah ,
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  married the chief Isb‘a’s daughter, Tumaadir.
‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  returned with her to Madinah Munawwarah.
Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdur-Rahmaan, who was one of the most prominent Taabi’een
and a Hafiz of Hadith, was born of this union.
Expedition of Fidak
Rasulullah  received information that Banu S‘ad bin Bakr had assembled
a force near Fidak to assist the Jews of Khaybar. Rasulullah  despatched a
hundred men under the command of Hadhrat Ali  towards Fidak. En route,
they chanced upon a man and following a little intimidation he revealed that he
was a spy for Banu S‘ad. The Muslims offered him protection and asked him about
the whereabouts of Banu S‘ad. He provided the correct information and
accordingly, they launched an attack on the area. However, the Banu S‘ad managed
to escape but the Muslims returned with a booty of five hundred camels and two
thousand goats.
Chapter 18 391
Expedition of Umme Qirfah

Umme Qirfah is the title of a woman whose name was Faatimah bint Rabi’ah. She
was the chief of the Banu Fazaarah tribe. Once, on his way to Syria, Hadhrat Zaid
bin Haarisah  happened to pass by with trade goods. The people of Banu
Fazaarah beat him up, wounded him and snatched all his goods.
Zaid  managed to make his way back to Madinah. In retaliation,
Rasulullah  sent a force under the command of Zaid  towards these
people and they returned triumphant.
Expedition of ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
Subsequent to the assassination of Abu Raaf‘i, the Jews appointed Usair bin Rizaam
as their leader. Without further ado, he launched into frantic preparations to attack
Rasulullah . Furthermore, he incited the Banu Ghitfaan and other tribes
also to wage war against Rasulullah . When Rasulullah  got
wind of this, he sent ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  and three other men to
investigate. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  returned to say that the news was
indeed accurate. Rasulullah  then sent thirty men with ‘Abdullah bin
Rawaahah  to call them to a meeting to discuss these issues directly with
them.
Usair bin Rizaam, their leader, (accepted this invitation and) also decided to set
out in the company of thirty men (to meet Rasulullah ). All sixty of them,
thirty Muslims and thirty Jews, set out with two people sharing a camel; one
Muslim and one Jew. Somewhere along the way, the Jews developed some wicked
ideas. Usair bin Rizaam and ‘Abdullah bin Unais  were seated on one camel.
On two occasions, Usair stealthily attempted to strike ‘Abdullah with a sword but
each time ‘Abdullah was alerted and he overlooked it. When Usair attempted to
strike him a third time, it triggered a war between both sides. All the Jews were
killed. Only one of them managed to escape unharmed. None of the Muslims were
killed. Only ‘Abdullah bin Unais  was slightly injured.
When this group returned to Madinah, Rasulullah  remarked:
ّٰ
‫ من القوم الظالمي‬4‫قد ناكم ا‬
“Allah Ta’ala protected you from the oppressive nation.”
Rasulullah  then applied his blessed saliva over ‘Abdullah’s wound and it
healed instantly. He also passed his hands over his face and made dua for him.
Expedition of Kurz bin Jaabir Fihari towards ‘Uraniyyeen

A few members of the ‘Ukkal and ‘Uraynah tribes turned up at Madinah and
exposed their Islam. A few days later, they pleaded before Rasulullah :
“We are livestock farmers. Until now, we lived on milk. We are not in the habit of
eating grains. The climate of Madinah is not suitable for our health. For this reason,
if you permit us to live on the outskirts of the city amongst the camels of charity
and allow us to consume their milk, it would be better for us.”
Rasulullah  accommodated this request. The camels of charity were
housed in the meadows on the outskirts of the city. Rasulullah  allowed
them to stay there and to consume their milk. In a few days, these tribesmen
recovered their good health and became robust and healthy. This is when
wickedness took hold of them and they renounced Islam. They also murdered the
herdsman of Rasulullah  and mutilated his body by cutting off his hands,
legs and nose and gouging out his eyes. They also poked thorns into his eye
sockets. Following this evil deed, they seized all the camels and took flight.
In Shawwaal 6 A.H. Rasulullah  despatched Kurz bin Jaabir Fihari
 with about twenty men in pursuit of these wicked tribesmen. They were
captured to the last man. Rasulullah  decreed that they be subject to
Qisaas (retaliatory punishment). They were executed in exactly the same manner
as they had murdered the herdsman. However, hereafter it was decreed that any
criminal, regardless of the heinousness of his crime, would not be punished in this
manner. Thus, mutilation of even the most bitter enemy of Islam has been
prohibited outright. So if a disbeliever murders a Muslim and disfigures his body,
the disbeliever will be executed in retaliation but he will not be mutilated.
Expedition of ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damri 
One day, in front of a huge gathering of the Quraysh, Abu Sufyaan bin Harb
challenged them saying: “Is there not anyone from amongst you who dares to
assassinate Muhammad? He is not protected by a bodyguard and he walks around
freely in the marketplace.”
A Bedouin arose and proclaimed: “I am a professional in such exploits. If you
assist me in this venture, I undertake to fulfill this assignment.” Abu Sufyaan
provided him with a camel and some money together with a pledge to offer his
unreserved assistance.
This Bedouin, dagger in hand, set out towards Madinah Munawwarah. At that
moment Rasulullah  was in the Masjid of Banu ‘Abdil-Ash-hal. When
Rasulullah  set eyes on him approaching, he observed: “This man comes
with an evil intention.”
Chapter 18 393
Usaid bin Hudhair  sprang up and seized the Bedouin’s hand. The
dagger that he had concealed within his clothes clattered to the ground. Rasulullah
 asked him: “Tell me the truth, what brings you here?” He replied: “If I
am promised safety, I will disclose my intentions.” Rasulullah  pledged:
“Go ahead, you have my protection.” The Bedouin then went on to give a detailed
account of what transpired. Rasulullah  released him and pardoned him.
When this Bedouin witnessed this incomparable conduct, he was drawn to embrace
Islam and remarked:
ّٰ
‫ ان رايتك فذهب‬O‫ ما كنت ما افرق الرجال فما هو ا‬4‫يا ممد ! وا‬
‫ وضعفت نفس ثم اطلعت < ما هممت به مما لم يعلم احد‬،‫عقل‬
‫ وان حزب اب سفيان حزب‬،‫ وانك < حق‬،‫فعرفت انك ممنوع‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم يتبسم‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫الشيطان فجعل رسول ا‬
“O Muhammad! I am not a person who is scared of other men but the moment I laid
eyes upon you, I lost my senses and became faint-hearted. Furthermore, you
ascertained my evil intentions without anyone else knowing about it. From this I
realised that you are safe and secure and you are certainly on the path of truth and
beyond doubt the group of Abu Sufyaan is an assembly of shayaateen.”
On hearing this, Rasulullah  started smiling.
This Bedouin stayed for a few days in the company of Rasulullah .
He then sought Rasulullah’s  permission and left. What happened to him
thereafter, nobody knows.
Thereafter, Rasulullah  sent ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damri  and
Salamah bin Aslam Ansaari  to Makkah with instructions to assassinate Abu
Sufyaan if the opportunity presented itself.
When these two people reached Makkah, they decided to enter the Baitullah
and perform Tawaaf first. The moment they entered the Haram, Abu Sufyaan spied
them and bellowed: “Look! This is ‘Amr bin Umayyah. He certainly comes with
designs of evil.”
During the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, ‘Amr bin Umayyah  was
notoriously known as shaytaan (the devil). The people of Makkah, terrified by the
potential of ‘Amr bin Umayyah to cause harm to them, amassed a bit of money and
presented it to him.
‘Amr  said to his companion: “Presently, the assassination of Abu
Sufyaan seems unlikely. It is better if we save our lives and flee now.”
On their return, they killed ‘Abdullah bin Maalik Taymi. Further on, they
came across a one-eyed man of the Banu Dayl tribe who was lying down reciting
the following couplet:
َ ُ ََۡ ُ ََۡ
ُ ‫ت ب ُم ۡسل ِم َما ُد ۡم‬
‫ت اد ِۡي ُن دين المسلمينا‬ ‫ولس‬ ‫ت َح ًّيا‬ ِ ‫ولس‬
“I will never embrace Islam as long as I live,
I will never take up the religion of the Muslims.”
‘Amr bin Umayyah  delivered a blow to this man and finished him off.
As they were returning, they came across two Qurayshi spies whom the
Quraysh sent to spy on the conditions of Rasulullah . They killed one of
them and the other was brought before Rasulullah . ‘Amr  relates:
“I gave a detailed account of our expedition to Rasulullah . On
completion of my narrative, Rasulullah’s  face lit up with a smile.”
Chapter 19
‘Umratul-Hudaybiyyah – 1st Zul-Q‘adah 6 A.H.
Hudaybiyyah is actually the name of a well. A village that lies adjacent to this well
became known with this name as well. This village lies approximately nine miles
from Makkah. Muhib Tabri says that most of the Hudaybiyyah area lies within the
Haram whilst the balance lies in the Hill area.
Rasulullah  saw a dream in which he witnessed himself and a few of
his companions entering Makkah with absolute peace. They performed Umrah and
some of the companions shaved their heads whilst the others had cut their hair.
The moment they heard of this dream, the flicker of enthusiasm that was now
dormant, flared up in their hearts and the anticipation of a visit to Baitullah made
them restless with fervent excitement.
On Monday 1st Zul-Q‘adah 6 A.H. Rasulullah  set out from Madinah
Munawwarah towards Makkah Mu‘azzamah with the intention of Umrah.
Approximately fifteen hundred Muhaajireen and Ansaar accompanied Rasulullah
 on this journey. When they reached Zul-Hulayfah they necklaced their
camels, made Ish‘aar and donned their Ihraams. Rasulullah  despatched
Busr bin Sufyaan  to spy on the conditions of the Quraysh. Since Rasulullah
 had absolutely no intention of armed combat, they did not carry any
sort of arms and military equipment. They merely carried a few basic arms
normally carried by a traveller which were securely sheathed in their scabbards.
When Rasulullah  landed at Ghadir Ashtaat, his informant reported
to him that the Quraysh had started amassing their forces the moment they heard
of Rasulullah’s  departure. He also reported that this time round, the
Quraysh were hell-bent on fighting and they committed themselves to refuse
Rasulullah  entry into Makkah.
Furthermore, Rasulullah  learnt that Khaalid bin Waleed, in the
company of two hundred mounted soldiers, had already landed in a place called
395
Ghameem, as part of the vanguard. The moment Rasulullah  heard of

this development, he turned away from this route and taking another route
towards Makkah, landed at Hudaybiyyah. From this point on, as Rasulullah
 attempted to steer his camel towards Makkah, the camel sat down. The
people shouted out: “Hal! Hal! ” in an attempt to rouse it and they tried every
possible trick to get it to stand, but it remained inflexibly seated. Some people
remarked: “Qaswa has become wayward and stubborn!” Rasulullah 
rejoined: “This is not its habit but actually Allah Ta’ala has prevented it from
progressing any further.”
Thereafter, Rasulullah  said: “I swear by the Being in whose control
lies my soul, whatever the Quraysh demand of me which contributes to the
reverence of the Sha‘aair (salient features) of Islam, I am fully prepared to accept.”
Saying this, Rasulullah  tapped the camel with his whip. At once she
got up in compliance with his direction. From here Rasulullah  proceeded
towards the edge of Hudaybiyyah and set up camp there. It was a blistering hot
summers’ day. The Sahaabah  were suffering from severe thirst and there
was an acute shortage of water. Whatever water was available in the nearby well
had long since been drawn out. When the Sahaabah  brought the lack of
water to the attention of Rasulullah , he extracted an arrow from his
quiver and instructed them to erect it within the well. The moment the arrow was
placed into the well, so much of water started gushing forth that the entire army
was satiated.
Once he set up camp in Hudaybiyyah, Rasulullah  mounted Khirash
bin Umayyah Khuzaa‘i  on a camel and despatched him to the citizens of
Makkah alerting them to the fact that the Muslims arrived in Makkah purely to
visit the Baitullah and not to engage in any sort of confrontation.
When Khirash  landed in Makkah and conveyed the message of
Rasulullah , they slaughtered his camel and had it not been for the last
minute intervention of some of the people, they would have killed him too.
Hadhrat Khirash  escaped with his life, returned to Rasulullah  and
related the whole incident to him.
Rasulullah  then decided to send Hadhrat ‘Umar  with this
message to the citizens of Makkah. However, Hadhrat ‘Umar  excused
himself saying: “O Rasulullah ! You are well aware of how incensed the
people of Makkah are with me. They harbour vicious enmity for me. Not a single
member of my clan resides in Makkah and nobody will be able to mediate on my
behalf. If you send ‘Usmaan, who has relatives in Makkah, it would be far more
appropriate.” Rasulullah  was satisfied with this proposal. He summoned
Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  and instructed him: “Convey our message (of our
intentions) to the people of Makkah and also convey glad tidings to those Muslims
Chapter 19 397
who are unable to expose their Islam that they should not panic, soon Allah Ta’ala
will grant the Muslims victory and render His Deen dominant.”
Under the protection of his relative Abaan bin Sa’eed, Hadhrat ‘Usmaan 
entered Makkah where he communicated the message of Rasulullah  to
the citizens of Makkah and issued glad tidings to the weak Muslims.
When Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  conveyed Rasulullah’s  message to
the chieftains of Makkah, they responded: “This year he (Rasulullah )
would certainly not be allowed to enter Makkah. Yes, if you (‘Usmaan) wish to
perform Tawaaf on your own, you may do so.” Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  said: “I
will definitely not perform Tawaaf without Rasulullah .”
On hearing this, the Quraysh remained silent but detained Hadhrat ‘Usmaan
.
Whilst Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  was being detained here in Makkah, in
Hudaybiyyah a rumour broke out that the Quraysh had murdered ‘Usmaan .
Bay‘atur-Ridwaan
When Rasulullah  heard of this, he was incredibly distressed and
declared: “I will not leave from here until I avenge his death.”
Saying this, Rasulullah  started taking Bay‘at (pledge of allegiance)
right there under the acacia tree in whose shade he was sitting. This pledge of
allegiance was to the effect that they would fight the disbelievers as long as they
had life within their bodies. They pledged to die rather than take flight.
The first person to take this pledge was Abu Sinaan Asadi . Hadhrat
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar  narrates that when Rasulullah  summoned
the people to take a pledge, the first person to appear before Rasulullah 
was Abu Sinaan Asadi . He submitted: “O Rasulullah ! Extend your
hand so that I may take a pledge.” Rasulullah  asked: “On what would
you like to take this pledge?” He replied: “On whatever is within my heart.”
Rasulullah  asked: “And what is within your heart?” He replied: “O
Rasulullah ! Entrenched within my heart is that I continue brandishing
my sword (against the enemy) until Allah Ta’ala grants you victory or until I am
killed in His path.” Rasulullah  then accepted his pledge of allegiance and
everyone else also followed with a similar pledge.
Hadhrat Salamah bin Akw‘a  took this pledge thrice; once at the
beginning, once in the middle and once at the end.
When Rasulullah  concluded this pledge, he placed his left hand over
his right hand and said: “This pledge is on behalf of ‘Usmaan.”
The right hand was on behalf of himself whilst his left hand represented the
hand of ‘Usmaan . Whenever Hadhrat ‘Usmaan  would narrate this
incident, he would remark: “Rasulullah’s  left hand was far superior than
my right hand.”
This Bay‘at (pledge of allegiance) is referred to as Bay‘tur-Ridwaan, which
Allah Ta’ala refers to in Surah Fatah in the following words:
‫اﻟﺴﻜ ۡﻴﻨ ﺔ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ﺰ‬

ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ
‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ $ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ‫ﰲ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫اﻟﺸ‬ ‫ﺖ‬
ْ
‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﻘ ْﺪ رﺿﻲ اﷲ ﻋﻦ اﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ ا ْذ ﻳﺒﺎﻳﻌ‬
‫ﻮ‬

ۡ
﴾ ۱۹﴿ ‫ﻛﺎن اﷲ ﻋﺰﻳ ۡ ًﺰا ﺣﻜ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬ ‫ و‬M ‫ﺧ ﺬ ۡوﻧ ﻬﺎ‬ ً ۡ ‫ۙ﴾ و ﻣﻐﺎﻧﻢ ﻛﺜ‬۱۸﴿ ‫ﺤﺎ ﻗﺮﻳ ۡ ًﺒﺎ‬ ً ‫ ﻓ ْﺘ‬$
ْ ‫ و اﺛﺎﺑ‬$ ْ ‫ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬
‫ﲑة ﻳﺎ‬
“Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they offered you their pledge of
allegiance under the tree. So Allah is aware of what is within their hearts (their love
and devotion for Rasulullah ). So he sent down tranquillity upon them
and rewarded them with an imminent victory and abundant spoils of war that they
would capture. And Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.” [Surah Fatah verses 18-19]
Nonetheless, it later emerged that the news of Hadhrat ‘Usmaan’s  murder
was false. When the Quraysh learnt of this pledge, they became terrified and awe-
struck. As a result they swiftly embarked on conveying a series of messages of a
truce.
Although the Banu Khuzaa‘ah tribe had not as yet embraced Islam, they
always remained well-wishing and friendly allies of Rasulullah . They
would frequently update Rasulullah  on the schemes hatched by the
Quraysh of Makkah. The leader of the Banu Khuzaa‘ah tribe, Budail bin Waraqa,
together with a few of his tribesmen appeared before Rasulullah  and
reported: “The Quraysh have amassed a huge force on the outskirts of
Hudaybiyyah near the big water-springs to ensure that you do not enter Makkah.
They also have a number of milking camels with them.” (In other words, they plan
to camp there for an extended period of time. They will eat, drink and entrench
themselves to fight.)
Rasulullah  said: “We have not come here to fight. We have come
with the sole purpose of performing Umrah. War has diminished the strength of
the Quraysh. If they wish, I am prepared to fix a time limit for a cease-fire. Within
that time, we will not interfere with one another. They should leave the Arabs and
me alone. If, by the grace of Allah, I am triumphant, you (the Quraysh) are invited
to enter this Deen and currently you will be given a few days of grace, and,
hypothetically speaking, if the Arabs (non-Muslims) are triumphant then your
objective is accomplished. However, let me emphasise, Allah Ta’ala will definitely
ensure that His Deen is triumphant. The divine promise that He has made in
regards to the dominance, ascendancy and assistance of this Deen, that promise
will surely be fulfilled. If the Quraysh refuse to accept this, I swear by the Being in
whose control lies my soul, I will certainly wage Jihaad against them until my neck
is severed from my body.”
Chapter 19 399
Budail then took leave from Rasulullah  and proceeded to the

Quraysh informing them: “I have just heard a proposal from that man. If you wish I
will present it before you?” The foolish from amongst them blurted: “We have no
need for him. We do not want to listen to what he has to say.” However, the level-
headed amongst them said: “Sure, why not? Tell us what he has to say.”
Budail said: “You people are hasty. Muhammad has not come here to fight but
to perform Umrah. He extends a hand of peace before you.” The Quraysh replied:
“Unquestionably he has not come with the intention of fighting but whatever the
case may be, he will not be allowed to enter Makkah.”
‘Urwah bin Mas’ood stood up and addressed them saying: “O people! Am I
not like a father unto you and are you not like my children unto me?” “Surely”,
they replied, “why not?” ‘Urwah then asked: “Do you entertain any wicked
thoughts about me?” They replied: “Absolutely not!” To this ‘Urwah finally
submitted: “This man (Muhammad Rasulullah ) has made a proposal in
your own interests and in your own favour. I personally feel that we should accept
his proposal. Why don’t you permit me to meet with him (Rasulullah )
and consult with him directly on his proposals?” The people accepted.
When ‘Urwah appeared before Rasulullah , he put forward the same
proposals that he had put forward to Budail. ‘Urwah said: “O Muhammad! Have
you ever heard of anyone destroying his own nation? Furthermore, if the tables
were to be turned the other way (i.e. if the Quraysh were to be triumphant) I
foresee the diverse types of people who are currently with you, abandoning you
and taking flight.”
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  who was seated behind Rasulullah ,
retorted: “What? Can we ever abandon Rasulullah  and take flight?”
‘Urwah asked: “Who is this man?” When the people replied that it was Abu
Bakr, ‘Urwah remarked: “I swear by Allah, had it not been for your favour towards
me – which I haven’t as yet paid back – I would have definitely responded to you.”
Saying this, he continued talking to Rasulullah . Whenever he
mentioned something, he would stroke the beard of Rasulullah .”
Mughirah bin Shu’bah  (‘Urwah’s brother’s son) who was standing
wielding a sword behind Rasulullah , couldn’t bear this boldness of his
uncle in front of Rasulullah . He instantly demanded: “Withdraw your
hand from the beard of Rasulullah . It doesn’t behove a Mushrik
(disbeliever) to touch the blessed beard of Rasulullah .”
Since Mughirah  was clad in full armour, ‘Urwah was unable to
recognise him. Raging with fury, he asked: “Who is this?” Rasulullah 
replied: “This is your nephew Mughirah bin Shu’bah.” When he recognised him,
‘Urwah yelled: “O you deceiver! Did I not contain your deception and the
dissension that you had caused in the past?”
Before Mughirah embraced Islam, he once travelled with a few of his

companions to Muqawqis, the emperor of Egypt. Compared to Mughirah, the
emperor presented his companions with far superior gifts than himself. This threw
Mughirah into profound sorrow. On their return, they camped at a certain spot
where all his companions guzzled huge quantities of wine and fell into a drunken
stupor. Availing himself of this opportunity, Mughirah killed all of them and fled
with their goods. He then appeared before Rasulullah  and embraced
Islam. Rasulullah  remarked: “I sanction you embracing Islam but as for
the goods, I want nothing to do with it because it was acquired with dishonesty
and deceit.”
‘Urwah, his uncle, paid the blood money of those killed and somehow
managed to contain the situation.
Nonetheless, during his meeting with Rasulullah , ‘Urwah witnessed
such fervent devotion and zealous attachment of the Sahaabah  to
Rasulullah  which he had never witnessed anywhere else before. He
noticed firsthand that whenever Rasulullah  issued a command, each one
of his companions would rival one another to be the first to carry it out. Whenever
saliva or sputum was discharged from his blessed mouth, the companions would
not allow it to fall to the ground. They would promptly catch it with their hands
and rub it on to their faces. When he performed wudhu, they would not let his
used-water fall to the ground. They would avidly jostle one another to grab hold of
it as though a fight was about to break out. A hair would barely fall off his blessed
body when they would rush forward to retrieve it. When he spoke, a pin-drop
silence would descend upon them as though each one of them had turned into an
ear. Nobody dared to raise his gaze.
It was as though this spectacle was a physical response to the evil thoughts
‘Urwah had at the beginning regarding the devoted adherents of Rasulullah
 - that if the Quraysh were to triumph, these people would abandon
Rasulullah  and take flight. The astounding scene of such ardent
enthusiasm, passionate devotion and enthusiastic loyalty that the Sahaabah 
displayed for Rasulullah  was a sufficient enough answer for ‘Urwah’s
evil thoughts against the Sahaabah . How can those who cherish such
fanatical attachment and such fervent love ever abandon Rasulullah  and
take flight?
When ‘Urwah returned from Rasulullah  back to the Quraysh, he
said to them: “O people! By Allah! I have been to the courts of Caesar, Chosroes,
Negus and other majestic rulers but I swear by Allah that I have never witnessed
such an astounding scenario of such dedicated love and zealous honour.”
(Such a scenario was never witnessed before Rasulullah  nor is it
possible after him. He was after all, the seal of all the Prophets. This astounding
Chapter 19 401
scenario of ardent love and zealous devotion had terminated upon Rasulullah
.)
According to another narration, ‘Urwah said: “O people! I have witnessed
numerous kings and rulers but I have not caught sight of anyone like Muhammad.
He does not seem like a king to me.”
Although ‘Urwah did not mention this frankly, but he intimated that this was
not the condition of kings but that of the divine Messengers.
On hearing this account of ‘Urwah, the leader of the Habash (the Abyssinians)
Hulais bin ‘Alqamah Kinaani said: “Why don’t you allow me to meet him
(Rasulullah ) and return?”
As Rasulullah  caught sight of Hulais approaching from far off, he
said: “Make the Qurbaani animals stand because this man is one of those who holds
Qurbaani animals in high esteem.” When Hulais caught sight of these Qurbaani
animals standing, he returned even before he reached Rasulullah  and
said to the Quraysh: “I swear by the Lord of the K‘abah! These people have come
here with the sole purpose of performing Umrah. They can never be prevented
from the Baitullah (the house of Allah).”
The Quraysh responded: “Sit down! You are but a desert Bedouin. You do not
understand.” This statement threw Hulais into a furious rage. He shot back: “O
people of Quraysh! Did we not make a pact between us that we would not prevent
anyone from the Baitullah if he comes solely with the intention of visiting the
Baitullah? I swear by the Being in whose control lies Hulais’ life, if you prevent
Muhammad from visiting the Baitullah, I promise to summarily withdraw from
you with all the Abyssinians as well.” The Quraysh replied: “There is no need to get
offended. Let us deliberate over the situation and we will decide what action to
take.”
A little later, Mikraz bin Hafs got up from the gathering and said: “I will go to
him (Muhammad Rasulullah ).”
When Rasulullah  noticed Mikraz coming, he commented: “This is
an evil man.” During their stay in Hudaybiyyah, Mikraz, with fifty other men,
wanted to launch a night attack on the Muslims. The Sahaabah  managed to
apprehend them and foiled this attack but Mikraz escaped. In reference to this
incident, Rasulullah  mentioned that this was an evil man.
Whilst Mikraz was busy talking to Rasulullah , Suhail bin ‘Amr
appeared before Rasulullah  on behalf of the Quraysh to discuss details of
a peace accord.
When Rasulullah  saw Suhail coming, he remarked to the Sahaabah
: “Qad Sahula Lakum min Amrikum (Your problem has been slightly
eased).”
Rasulullah  then added: “The Quraysh are now inclined towards a
peace accord. They sent this person to discuss peace with us.”
Rasulullah  and Suhail had a lengthy discussion about a peace

accord and the conditions of a peace treaty. Following a verbal agreement over the
conditions of the peace treaty, Rasulullah  instructed Hadhrat Ali 
to reduce the accord to writing. He instructed him to write Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-
Raheem at the head of the document.
In accordance with ancient tradition, at the head of the document, the Arabs
used to start off with the words Bismika-Allaahumma. This is why Suhail said: “I
do not know what newfangled idea this Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem is all
about. Just write Bismika-Allaahumma as per our ancient tradition.” Rasulullah
 said: “Fine, write that down then.”
Rasulullah  then instructed Hadhrat Ali  to write the
following:
ّٰ
4‫هذا ما قاض عليه ممد رسول ا‬
“These are the conditions upon which Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has
concluded a peace accord.”
To this, Suhail remarked: “If we regarded you as the Messenger of Allah, we would
neither have prevented you from the Baitullah nor would we have fought with you.
Instead of ‘Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah’, write: Muhammad, the son of
‘Abdullah.”
Rasulullah  responded: “By Allah! I am the Messenger of Allah
regardless of you falsifying me.”
He then instructed Hadhrat Ali  to erase this and write his name as
Suhail desired. Hadhrat Ali  submitted: “O Rasulullah ! I will by no
means erase your name.” Rasulullah  said: “Okay, then show me where
the words ‘the Messenger of Allah’ appears. I will erase them myself.” Once
Hadhrat Ali  pointed it out to him, Rasulullah  erased the words
with his own hand and directed Hadhrat Ali  to write ‘Muhammad, the son
of ‘Abdullah’.
The conditions of the peace accord were as follows:
Terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

1. All hostilities will cease for the next ten years.
2. Any member of the Quraysh who flees to Madinah without the permission of
his master or guardian will be returned even though he is a Muslim.
3. Any Muslim who flees to Makkah from Madinah will not be returned to the
Muslims.
Chapter 19 403
4. During this period, none of the parties will raise a sword against the other and
neither will they engage in any form of treachery and betrayal.
5. This year Muhammad  will return to Madinah without performing
Umrah. He will not be allowed to enter Makkah this year. He will be allowed
to enter Makkah next year for a period of three days only. He should return
after performing Umrah. The Muslims will not be allowed to enter Makkah
with any weapons but their swords provided the swords are well-sheathed.
6. The other tribes of the Peninsula have the option to ally themselves to
whichever party they wish.
Subsequently, the Banu Khuzaa‘ah tribe affiliated themselves with Rasulullah
 whilst the Banu Bakr joined the Quraysh.
Whilst this treaty was being put to paper, Suhail’s son, Abu Jandal, escaped
from captivity and appeared before Rasulullah  whilst still in leg
shackles. He had already embraced Islam before this and the disbelievers of
Makkah were subjecting him to indescribable atrocities. The moment Suhail saw
him, he gleefully remarked: “Well, well. This is the first person to be returned as
per the terms of our treaty.”
Rasulullah  appealed: “Well, the treaty has not been concluded as
yet.” In other words, the treaty is only binding once the treaty is written out
completely and the signatures affixed to it.
Rasulullah  pleaded with Suhail repeatedly to hand over Abu Jandal
 to the Muslims but Suhail was adamant. Ultimately, Rasulullah 
surrendered him to Suhail.
The disbelievers of Makkah were subjecting him to unimaginable agony. This
is why Abu Jandal, in a grief-laden voice, addressed the Muslims: “What a pity, O
Muslims! I am being surrendered to the disbelievers?”
On hearing this, Rasulullah  pacified Abu Jandal by saying:
ّٰ
‫ جاعل لك فرجا و مرجا‬4‫ نغدر وان ا‬O ‫يا ابا جندل ! اصب واحتسب فانا‬
“O Abu Jandal! Exercise patience and pin your hopes on Allah, as we do not like to
violate the terms of the treaty. However, be rest assured that Allah Ta’ala will
surely come up with a strategy to relieve you of your difficulties.”
However, his return to the disbelievers was intolerable to the Muslims in general.
Hadhrat ‘Umar  was unable to restrain himself and stated: “O Rasulullah
! Are you not the true Messenger of Allah?” “Surely!” replied Rasulullah
. Hadhrat ‘Umar  asked: “Are we not on the true path whilst they
are wandering on the pathways of deviation?” Rasulullah  replied: “No
doubt about it.” Hadhrat ‘Umar  in amazement asked: “Then why do we have
to tolerate this humiliation?” Rasulullah  replied: “I am the Rasool and
true Messenger of Allah Ta’ala. I am not willing to breach His commandments. He

is my helper and supporter.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  then asked: “Okay, but did you not promise us that we
would perform Tawaaf of the Baitullah?” Rasulullah  replied: “When did
I promise that we will perform Tawaaf this year?”
Hadhrat ‘Umar  then went to Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and had the
same conversation with him as well. Abu Bakr  gave him exactly the same
response, word for word as offered by Rasulullah .
Hadhrat ‘Umar  says: “Following this episode, I was incredibly ashamed
of my actions. In compensation for this misbehaviour, I performed numerous
Salaahs, observed a great number of fasts, disbursed a lot of charity and freed many
slaves.”
) Fb ~

) # ; 0
“In the work of Allah, the words of the lovers are incited by the fervour of their love.
And this (apparently rude) behaviour is certainly not disrespect and cheekiness.”
Hadhrat Anas  relates that the Sahaabah  asked: “O Rasulullah
! How can such a condition of this treaty ever be tolerable? How can we
support a condition that stipulates that a person who flees from us Muslims and
joins the disbelievers will not be returned to us?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Yes, if anyone of us joins them, we do not need
him. Allah Ta’ala has hurled such a person far away from His divine mercy. As for
the person who flees from them and comes to us, although, as per our terms of the
treaty, he will be returned to them, there is absolutely nothing to be terrified of.
Shortly, Allah Ta’ala will bring about some scheme to ease him of this difficulty.”
(Furthermore, Alhamdulillah we have not been confronted with a situation where a
Muslim took flight from Madinah to Makkah.)
Nonetheless, the treaty was concluded on these terms and both parties affixed
their signatures to the document.
On finalisation of this treaty, Rasulullah  instructed the Sahaabah
 to slaughter their animals and shave off the hair of their heads. However,
the Sahaabah  were so disillusioned and distressed by the terms of this
treaty that in spite of Rasulullah  repeating his instructions thrice, not
one of them attempted to carry it out.
When Rasulullah  saw this, he approached Umme Salamah 
and mournfully related to her this state of affairs. She advised: “O Rasulullah
! This treaty is dreadfully challenging to the Muslims. This is why they
are so dejected and distressed that they are unable to execute your instructions. Do
Chapter 19 405
not say anything to anyone. You personally go outside, slaughter your Qurbaani
animal and shave off your hair. Inevitably the people are bound to follow suit.”
Subsequently, this is exactly what happened. The moment Rasulullah
 began to slaughter his Qurbaani animals, all the Sahaabah 
followed suit.
May Allah Ta’ala reward Umme Salamah  abundantly. Her brilliant
discretion in this matter solved the predicament that Rasulullah  found
himself in.
Following a stay of about two weeks in Hudaybiyyah, Rasulullah 
set out for his return to Madinah. Whilst he was between Makkah and Madinah,
Surah Fatah (victory) was revealed.
Rasulullah  assembled all the Sahaabah  and recited the
entire Surah before them. The Sahaabah  considered this treaty to be a form
of defeat for them but Allah Ta’ala referred to it as a conspicuous victory.
Bewildered by this declaration, they asked in surprise: “O Rasulullah ! Is
this really a victory?” Rasulullah  replied: “I swear by the Being in Whose
absolute control lies my soul, this is undoubtedly a great victory.”
Imaam Zuhri  says: “This was such an outstanding victory that never
before were they blessed with such a victory. Previously, due to their mutual
conflict they were unable to mingle with the others but now with the peace treaty
all conflicts had ceased and relative peace established. Previously those who were
unable to expose their status of Islam were now able to practice Islam freely. Their
mutual hatred and tension had decreased somewhat. They were able to speak
openly with one another. They were afforded the opportunity to discuss and debate
issues of Islam. Many of them heard the Qur-aan for the first time and this induced
such a huge multitude of people to embrace Islam that many more people
embraced Islam during the relatively short period from the treaty of Hudaybiyyah
to the conquest of Makkah than from the very inception of prophethood right up to
that time.” Islam is the fountainhead of outstanding character, a mine of perfect
actions and a personification of goodness but the Sahaabah  were living
examples of these virtues, actions and character. Until now, the enemies’ eyes of
hostility, malice and disgust prevented them from perceiving this.
Now when the veils of hostility and disgust were lifted due to the peace treaty,
the alluring prospects of Islam started drawing them towards it.

= E
“The glow on the forehead of a pious man,
how can it be concealed from the sight of a perceptive person?”
Before the treaty, the disbelievers of Makkah were befitting of the verse “and they
are unable to perceive”. This is why the noor of Islam and the Muslims was
unknown to them. With the blessings of the peace treaty, when this hostility and
enmity was eliminated, they turned out to be perceptive and now they were able to
make out the noor on the foreheads of those treading the right path.
A little while after Rasulullah  reached Madinah, Abu Basir 
escaped from the clutches of the disbelievers of Makkah and turned up in Madinah.
The Quraysh promptly despatched two men to Rasulullah  demanding
that he be handed over to them. As per the terms of the treaty, Rasulullah
 handed Abu Basir  to them and addressed Abu Basir 
saying: “I am bound by the terms of the treaty. I cannot contravene the terms of the
peace accord. It is best if you return.” Taken aback, Abu Basir  asked: “Are
you returning me to the disbelievers who aim to change my religion and who
subject me to all kinds of distress?”
Rasulullah  pacified him by saying: “Exercise patience and place
your hopes upon Allah Ta’ala. Soon Allah Ta’ala will devise some means to relieve
you of this difficulty.”
Nonetheless, these two people took Abu Basir  in their custody and set
out. En route, they stopped over at Zul-Hulayfah to take a small rest and eat some
dates that they carried with them. Abu Basir  said to one of them: “Your
sword seems extraordinarily beautiful.” Taking the sword out of its sheath, the man
bragged: “I swear by Allah that this is a remarkably beautiful sword. I have put it
to the test on numerous occasions.” Abu Basir  asked: “May I have a look at
it?” The instant the man offered it to Abu Basir , he snatched it from him and
finished him off in a single blow. On seeing what befell his friend, the other man
promptly took flight and headed to Madinah where he appeared before Rasulullah
 and submitted: “O Rasulullah ! My companion has been killed
and now it’s my turn.”
A little later, when Abu Basir  turned up before Rasulullah ,
he said: “O Rasulullah ! Allah Ta’ala has fulfilled your end of the treaty.
You had already handed me over to them and now Allah Ta’ala has released me
from their clutches. O Rasulullah ! You are well aware that if I had to
return to Makkah, these people would constrain me to abandon my faith in Islam. I
had done whatever I had done solely for this reason. There is no treaty between me
and them.”
To this Rasulullah  replied: “This man is an instigator of war if he
has any comrades with him.”
Abu Basir  figured from this that if he had to linger here any longer he
would be handed back to the non-Muslims. This is why he quickly left Madinah
and settled in a region along the coast through which the Qurayshi caravans would
pass during their travels to Syria.
When the downtrodden and helpless Muslims of Makkah learnt of this, they
stealthily started trickling in to Abu Basir’s hideout. Suhail bin ‘Amr’s son, Abu
Chapter 19 407
Jandal  also turned up there. In this manner, a group of seventy men landed
there. Whenever a Qurayshi caravan happened to pass by, they would harass them
and they would feed off the booty if they happened to get their hands on it.
The Quraysh, annoyed by the turn of events, sent some people over to
Rasulullah  and begged him in the name of Allah and their blood
relationship to call Abu Basir and his group back to Madinah. They also promised
not to interfere if anyone of the people of Makkah happened to embrace Islam and
flee to Madinah.
Rasulullah  then wrote a letter to Abu Basir . However, the
letter reached Abu Basir  as he was departing from this world. The letter was
handed over to him. As he began reading this letter, his delight had no bounds. He
continued reading whilst enhancing his joy at the same time until he surrendered
his soul whilst the blessed letter was resting on his chest. According to another
narration, he passed away with the letter clutched in his hand.
Abu Jandal  prepared and shrouded Abu Basir’s  body and buried
him there. He erected a Masjid nearby as well. Thereafter, Abu Jandal ,
together with his companions set off for Madinah.
When Suhail bin ‘Amr heard of this murder perpetrated by Abu Basir ,
he sought to demand his blood money from Rasulullah  since the victim
was Suhail’s kinsman. However, Abu Sufyaan put him off by saying: “You cannot
demand his blood money from Muhammad (Rasulullah ) because he
fulfilled his end of the treaty by surrendering Abu Basir to your messengers. Abu
Basir did not kill your messenger on the bidding of Muhammad (Rasulullah
) but he killed him on his own accord. Furthermore, you cannot claim his
blood money from the kinsfolk of Abu Basir either because they do not adhere to
the same faith.”
Following this treaty with the Makkans, any Muslim male who fled from
Makkah to Madinah was sent back to Makkah by Rasulullah  as per the
terms of the treaty. Some time later, a few women also migrated from Makkah to
Madinah. The Makkans insisted that they also be returned as per the terms of the
treaty. However, through divine revelation, Allah Ta’ala prevented Rasulullah
 from sending the ladies back explaining that this condition was confined
to the males only. Women were not included in the terms of the treaty. According
to some narrations, the actual words of the treaty read as follows: “No Rajul (man)
will flee to you from amongst us but he will be returned.” Obviously the word
Rajul explicitly referred to men only. How could women be included in this?
The disbelievers of Makkah wanted to include the women in this treaty as well
but Allah Ta’ala forbade it. The following verse was revealed in regard to this
incident:
ْ
‫ ﻓﺎن‬N‫ اﷲ اﻋ ﻠﻢ ﺑﺎﻳ ۡ ﻤﺎﻧﻬ ﻦ‬MN‫ﻫ ﻦ‬
ْ
‫ﻮ‬ ۡ ‫ﺎﻣﺘﺤﻨ‬ ْ ‫ﻮا اذا ﺟﺂءﻛﻢ اﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣ ٰﻨﺖ ﻣ ٰﻬﺠ ٰﺮت ﻓ‬ ۤۡ ٰ ۡ
‫ا\ﻳﻦ اﻣ ﻨ‬ ‫ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ‬
ٍ

ٌ ْ
ْ ‫ ﻻ ﻫﻦ ﺣﻞ ﻟ‬MN‫ﻋﻠ ْﻤﺘﻤ ۡﻮﻫﻦ ﻣﺆﻣ ٰﻨﺖ ﻓﻼ ﺗ ْﺮﺟﻌ ۡﻮﻫﻦ ا اﻟﻜﻔﺎر‬ ْ
‫ و‬MN‫ﻫ ْﻢ ﻳﺤ ﻠ ۡﻮن ﻟ ﻬ ﻦ‬ ‫ و ﻻ‬$ ٍ

ۡ ۡ ۡ ٰ ۤ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۤ ۡ ۡ ٰ
‫ و ﻻ‬MN‫ﻫ ﻦ‬ ‫ﺟﻮ ر‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ان ﺗﻨﻜﺤﻮﻫﻦ اذا اﺗﻴﺘﻤﻮﻫﻦ ا‬ ‫ﺟ ﻨﺎح ﻋ ﻠﻴ‬ ‫ و ﻻ‬MN‫ﻫﻢ ﻣﺎ اﻧ ﻔ ﻘﻮا‬ ‫اﺗﻮ‬

ْ ْ ۡ ۤ ْ ْ ۡ ۤ ْ ْ
‫ﻜﻢ‬ ‫ ﻳﺤ‬MN‫ﺣﻜﻢ اﷲ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ‫ ٰذﻟ‬MN‫ﻜﻮاﻓﺮ و ْﺳـﻠ ۡﻮا ﻣﺎ اﻧ ﻔﻘﺘ ْﻢ و ﻟ' ْﺴـﻠ ۡﻮا ﻣﺎ اﻧ ﻔ ﻘ ۡﻮا‬ ‫ﻜ ۡﻮا ﺑﻌﺼﻢ اﻟ‬ ‫ﺗﻤﺴ‬

ٰ ْ ْ ْ ٌ ۡ ْ ۡ ۡ
ْ ْ
‫ﻜ ﻔﺎر ﻓﻌﺎﻗﺒﺘﻢ ﻓﺎﺗﻮا‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ا اﻟ‬ ْ ‫ﻜﻢ ¡ء ﻣﻦ ازواﺟ‬ ‫﴾ و ان ﻓﺎﺗ‬۱۰﴿ ‫ﺣﻜﻴﻢ‬ ٌ ‫ و اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ۡ
‫ﺑﻴ ﻨ‬

ْ ۡ ۤۡ ۡ ۤ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
﴾۱۱﴿‫ا\ي اﻧﺘ ۡﻢ ﺑ ٖﻪ ﻣﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮن‬ ‫ و اﺗ ﻘﻮا اﷲ‬MN‫ﻞ ﻣﺎ اﻧ ﻔ ﻘﻮا‬ ‫ ﻣﺜ‬$ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ذ ﻫﺒﺖ ازواﺟ‬

“O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine
them - Allah knows best of their faith. Then if you ascertain that they are really
true believers then do not send them back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful
for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful for them. And give the
disbelievers whatever they have spent. And there is no sin upon you if you marry
them by paying them their Mahr. Likewise, do not hold back the bond of the
disbelieving women (do not hold them back as wives) and ask the disbelievers (to
return) what you had spent on (these wives) and let them (the disbelievers) ask back
for what they had spent. That is the judgement of Allah, He passes judgment
between you. And Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.
“And if any of your wives have gone from you to the disbelievers (as apostates)
and you (after going out in war) acquired booty, then pay from that to those whose
wives have gone, the equivalent of what they had spent (in Mahr). And be ever-
conscious of Allah in Whom you believe.” [Surah Mumtahinah verses 10-11]
Thereafter the disbelievers remained silent and did not repeat their demands for the
return of the women.
Chapter 20
International Efforts to Spread Islam - Letters to
World Leaders
Allah Ta’ala refers to the treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a Fatahum Mubeen (clear
victory) and a source of tranquillity and comfort. This was no doubt, a clear victory
and a source of immense tranquillity and comfort because the word Fatah literally
means to unlock or to open something that is closed. Due to the mutual fighting of
the Arabs, the doors of invitation towards Islam were closed. This treaty threw
open this door. Now the time had come to spread the word of Allah to all His
servants and to give an open invitation to the people of the world to this
magnificent tablecloth of Islam where everyone could share in the divinely delights
this religion had to offer.
Those who accepted the divine invitation of Allah Ta’ala and seated
themselves at the tablecloth of Islam, discovered that there was not even a particle
of salt from every variety of outstanding character, exceptional manners,
unmatched virtues and excellent behaviour that was not represented on this
tablecloth of Islam. What a clean and pure tablecloth that there was not even an
iota of any sort of physical or spiritual evil on this tablecloth. They washed their
hands off the dunya and taking the name of Allah and His Rasool , they
commenced eating from these spiritual culinary delights. They barely consumed
two morsels when rapidly the tongue relished the savour of Islam and the
sweetness of Imaan and they realised that this was really the nourishment for the
soul. The soul can thrive only with such nourishment. It is impossible for the soul
to survive with the consumption of the filth of kufr and shirk (disbelief and
polytheism).
Nonetheless, on his return from Hudaybiyyah, in Zul-Hijjah 6 A.H., Rasulullah
 decided to send letters of invitation to the kings of the world. He
assembled the Sahaabah  and addressed them thus:
409
“O People! I have been commissioned to the whole universe as an embodiment

of mercy. Convey this message to the world and Allah will shower His mercy upon
you. Do not fall into dispute like the disciples of ‘Isa . When they were
instructed to journey to a close by area, they would gladly proceed but when
instructed to travel to a far-off area, they would sit down on the ground as though
burdened by an unbearable weight.”
In the most gruelling of trials that tested their devotion, loyalty and
selflessness, at every opportunity, the Sahaabah  had acquired the loftiest
certificate of success and they were crowned with medals of the highest accolades.
So how could they ever faulter at this instance? With heart and soul they were
enthusiastically willing to carry out Rasulullah’s  instructions.
Nonetheless, they also advised him saying: “O Rasulullah ! The kings
and rulers of this world do not regard a letter without an official seal affixed to it as
reliable. In fact, they would not even bother to glance at it.”
Abiding by the Mashwarah (advice) of the Sahaabah , Rasulullah
 had a seal made in the shape of a ring. The spherical band itself as well
as the seal were made of silver but it was crafted in the Abyssinian style. The
words “Muhammad Rasool Allah” were inscribed on the seal as follows:
Muhammad was right at the bottom with the word Allah on the top and Rasool in
between.
Rasulullah  then despatched letters to the various rulers of the world
inviting them to the truth and informing them that they would be squarely liable
for the deviation of their community.
All the scholars are unanimous that they were sent after the treaty of
Hudaybiyyah but before the conquest of Makkah. In other words, this progression
of letters continued within these two historical events. And Allah Ta’ala knows
best.
(1) Letter to the Emperor of Rome
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫م < من اتبع‬K‫ س‬.‫ و رسول ا¯ هرقل عظيم الروم‬4‫من ممد عبدا‬
ّٰ َ َ َ
4‫ اسلِم تسلم يوتك ا‬،‫م‬K‫س‬O‫الهدى اما بعد ! فان ادعوك بدعية ا‬
‫ و يا اهل الكتاب‬.‫اجرك مرتي فان تولت فان عليك اثم الييسي‬
ّٰ
‫ نشك به‬O‫ و‬4‫ ا‬O‫ نعبد ا‬O ‫تعالوا ا¯ كمة سواء بيننا و بينكم ان‬
Chapter 20 411
ّٰ
‫ فان تولوا فقولوا‬4‫ يتخذ بعضنا بعضا اربابا من دون ا‬O‫شيئا و‬
‫اشهدوا بانا مسلمون‬
“Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
From Muhammad, the slave of Allah, to Hiraql (Heraclius), the head of Rome.
Salaam upon those who adhere to divine guidance.
I invite you with the phrase that will bring you closer to Islam (the phrase of
Kalimah Tayyibah.) Embrace Islam and you will be safe and Allah will reward you
twofold. (In the Holy Qur-aan, Allah Ta’ala assures the people of the book a twofold
reward for embracing Islam.) So if you turn down this invitation, the sin of the
entire populace will be on your shoulders. ‘O people of the scripture! Come to such a
word that, between us, is an acknowledged fact; that we do not worship anyone but
Allah and we do not ascribe partners unto Him and that none of us will take others
as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are
Muslims.’”
Handing this letter over to Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi , Rasulullah  sent
him off to the emperor of Rome. At that instant, the emperor had just arrived in
Baitul-Maqdis on foot from Hims in demonstration of his gratitude over the defeat
of the Persians. Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi  landed in Baitul-Maqdis in Muharram
7 A.H. and through the auspices of the governor of Busra, he availed himself in the
royal court of the Roman emperor where he presented the letter.
Before handing over the letter, he delivered a short sermon.
Hadhrat Dihyaa’s  Sermon in the Emperor’s court
“O Roman emperor! The personage who appointed me as his emissary is far

superior than you are, and the divine Being who elected him as His Messenger is
the most superior and elevated. So I urge you to listen to whatever I have to say
with humility and I implore you to answer my questions with utmost sincerity. If
you fail to listen with humility you will not be able to duly understand and if you
lack sincerity in your answers, your response will not be impartial and just.”
The emperor replied: “Okay, go on.”
Hadhrat Dihyaa  continued: “You are well aware that Hadhrat Maseeh
bin Maryam  used to offer Salaah?”
“Yes, without doubt he used to perform Salaah,” replied the emperor.
Hadhrat Dihyaa  said: “I invite you unto the Being to Whom Hadhrat
Maseeh  offered his Salaah, before Whom he would bow his forehead, the
Being Who created Hadhrat Maseeh in the womb of his mother and the Being who
created all the heavens and the earths. Thereafter, I invite you to the unlettered
Messenger about whom Hadhrat Musa  and Hadhrat ‘Isa  issued glad
tidings. Besides, you are adequately acquainted with these facts. If you accept this
invitation you will be successful in this world as well as the hereafter otherwise
your hereafter will prove disastrous for you and not only that, you will have
partners in this world (challenging your kingship and laying claim to your power).
Be rest assured that you have only one Lord Who wields absolute power to crush
the agnostics and bear in mind that He continues changing His fortunes.”
Taking the letter of Rasulullah  from Hadhrat Dihyaa , the
emperor placed it on his head and his eyes and respectfully kissed it. He then
opened it and after perusing it he remarked: “I will ponder over it and respond to it
by tomorrow.”
He then bade his servants to summon to court anyone they come across locally
who hailed from the same family as Rasulullah , as he wanted to make
further enquiries from them. Coincidentally, Abu Sufyaan, with a group of other
Qurayshis, was on a business expedition in Shaam. He was camped at Ghazzah.
Abu Sufyaan had not yet embraced Islam. The emperor’s messenger fetched him
from Ghazzah and presented him before the royal court. With grand pomp and
splendour, the court was convened. All the Roman noblemen, clergy, monks and
other leading figures were in attendance.
The emperor first addressed the Arabs saying: “Amongst you who is the
closest relative to this man who claims to be a Prophet?” Abu Sufyaan replied: “I
am the closest to him.” The emperor directed: “You come and sit close to me.” He
then charged the others to sit behind Abu Sufyaan. The emperor addressed the
others and said: “I am going to ask him a few questions. If he speaks a lie, you
should point it out.”
Abu Sufyaan says: “If I did not have the fear of these people falsifying me, I
would have certainly perverted the truth.”
Thereafter the following conversation took place between Abu Sufyaan and
the emperor:
Emperor: How is his family lineage amongst you?
Abu Sufyaan: He is a man of a noble lineage. Nobody else is favoured with
such an illustrious ancestry.
Emperor: Were there any kings amongst his ancestors?
Abu Sufyaan: No.
Emperor: Did you ever find him speaking lies before he laid this claim to
prohethood?
Abu Sufyaan: No.
Emperor: What class of people do his followers belong to; the rich and mighty
or the poor and weak?
Abu Sufyaan: Most of them are poor and weak.
Emperor: Are his adherents increasing day-by-day or decreasing?
Abu Sufyaan: They are increasing day by day.
Chapter 20 413
Emperor: Is there anyone who entered this Deen and renounced it out of
aversion for it?
Abu Sufyaan: No.
Emperor: Does he ever go against his word?
Abu Sufyaan: Never! Up to this day he has not breached his word. However,
nowadays we have a truce enforced between us. I have no idea if he has breached
the terms of this truce during the interim. (Abu Sufyaan later commented: “Besides
this one sentence, I was unable to sneak in anything else, but by Allah, the emperor
did not take any heed of this statement of mine.”)
Emperor: Did you ever engage him in battle?
Abu Sufyaan: Yes.
Emperor: How was the fighting between you?
Abu Sufyaan: Sometimes he would be dominant and sometimes we would
prevail.
Emperor: What does he instruct you to do?
Abu Sufyaan: He commands us to worship Allah and to abstain from ascribing
any partners unto Him. He commanded us to immediately forsake all our ancestral
customs of shirk and kufr perpetrated by our forefathers. He also instructs us to
perform Salaah and pay Zakaat and to adhere to truthfulness, chastity and
favourable family ties.
Addressing his interpreter, the emperor said: “Inform our guest that I first
asked him about this Messenger’s family lineage and you replied that he is a man
of a noble and illustrious lineage. Undoubtedly, all the Prophets hail from families
that are very noble and illustrious. I then asked you if there were any kings
amongst his ancestors and you replied in the negative. If there were any kings
amongst his forefathers I would have assumed that this man is merely attempting
to retrieve his family’s lost kingship. I then asked you if he ever spoke a lie and you
denied this. I inferred from this that how is it possible for a man who does not
speak lies about people but, Allah forbid, he attributes falsehood to Allah? When I
enquired from you who his followers are, you replied that the bulk of his adherents
are weak and poor. I then asked you if his followers are increasing or decreasing
day by day. You replied that they are increasing. Without doubt, this is the true
condition of Imaan. Its adherents increase day by day until it reaches a level of
perfection. I then asked you if anyone who adopted this religion subsequently
renounced it out of resentment or revulsion and you replied in the negative. This is
the status of Imaan. Once its sweetness and delight penetrates the hearts, it cannot
under any circumstances be extracted. I then asked if he ever breached his word
and you replied in the negative. Indisputably, this is the condition of the true
Prophets. They do not ever go against their word. I then asked you about the
hostilities between you and you replied that at times you are dominant and at
times he is. Undoubtedly, in the initial stages, this is how the divine scheme of
Allah Ta’ala works. Sometimes He makes them victorious and at times they are
bound to suffer defeat. This is to put his follower’s sincerity and devotion to the
test. However, ultimately they are guaranteed victory and dominance. I then
enquired from you about his instructions to you. You replied that he commands
you to worship Allah alone without ascribing any partner unto Him. He prevents
you from idol-worship and he instructs you to observe Salaah, pay Zakaat and
adhere to truthfulness, chastity, etc.
If whatever you say is really true, then no doubt this man is the divine
Messenger. Soon he will govern this land under my feet. I knew that the emergence
of a Messenger was imminent but I had no idea that he would emerge from you
(the Arabs). I cherish a profound desire to meet him. If I ever happen to be in his
presence, I would wash his feet (in esteem).”
The emperor then read out the blessed letter to the entire gathering of people.
He barely managed to read the letter to the people when all hell broke loose.
Chaotic bellows of disapproval were heard from every corner of the imperial court.
Abu Sufyaan relates: “At that instant we were all swiftly ushered out of court.
Once we landed on the outside, I remarked (to my fellow countrymen): ‘It is
astonishing, even the emperor of the Roman Empire is terrified of him (Rasulullah
).’ On that day I was genuinely led to believe that the Deen of Rasulullah
 is set to prevail over all others, until Allah Ta’ala bestowed me with
divine guidance to embrace Islam.”
Imaam Zuhri  says: “During the reign of ‘Abdul Malik bin Marwaan, a
leading Christian priest by the name of Ibn Natur who was present in the imperial
court at the time of this incident related: ‘Subsequent to this court episode, the
Emperor wrote a letter to the high priest of Rumiyyah enquiring about Rasulullah
. The name of this priest was Daghatir Rumi and he was well versed with
the divine scriptures.
Once the Emperor despatched his letter to the priest, he left Baitul-Muqaddas
for Hims (Homs). The Emperor was still in Hims when he received a reply from the
priest saying: ‘This is the very same Prophet we have been eagerly awaiting. This is
the Messenger about whom ‘Isa  issued glad tidings. I believe in him and I
will abide by him. There is no doubt about him being a Prophet. You should also
believe in him and consent to adhere to him.’”
On receiving this advice, the Emperor convened a massive court in which he
assembled all the patriarchs of Rome. He then sealed off the court by closing all the
doors. Whilst seated in one of the upper galleries, the Emperor addressed the entire
court thus:
‫ انه قد اتان كتاب هذا الرجل‬:‫يا معش الروم ! ان قد جعتكم لي‬

ّٰ
‫ لب الي كنا نتظره ونده ف كتبنا‬4‫يدعون ا¯ دينه وانه وا‬
‫فهلموا فلنتبع ولصدقه فتسلم لا دنيانا واخرتنا‬
Chapter 20 415
“O Romans! I have assembled you here for a great good. I have received a letter from
this man inviting me towards his religion. By Allah! This is the Prophet whom we
were enthusiastically awaiting and whom we find mentioned in our scriptures. So
come, let us follow him and believe in him. In this manner, both, this world as well
as our hereafter will be secured.”
The moment the Roman Patriarchs heard this, they started bellowing in protest and
scuttled to the doors only to find them locked. The emperor summoned them back
to their seats and remarked: “I just wanted to put all of you to the test. I am
exceptionally delighted over your staunchness in faith.”
On hearing this, all of them were gripped with ecstasy and they fell to their
knees in prostration before the emperor.
A little later, the emperor summoned Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi  in private
and explained: “I swear by Allah and declare that your friend is without doubt a
divine Messenger. However, I am terrified of my people assassinating me. If it were
not for this anxiety, I would certainly adhere to him. Go to Daghatir, the
archbishop of Rome. He is an exceptionally learned man. His knowledge of these
affairs is far superior to mine. Furthermore, he commands more reverence and
admiration amongst the Romans than I do. Go to him and give him an account of
this divine Messenger.”
Hadhrat Dihyaa Kalbi  went to Daghatir and gave him a detailed
account of Rasulullah . Daghatir responded by declaring: “By Allah! He is
a divine Messenger. We have encountered his characteristics, conditions and
attributes in our divine scriptures.”
Saying this, he withdrew into his quarters, removed the black robes he was
wearing and changed into white robes. Wielding a staff, he then proceeded to the
church where he addressed the people thus:
ّٰ
4‫يا معش الروم ! انه قدجاء نا كتاب من احد يدعونا فيه ا¯ ا‬
ّٰ
‫ وان احد عبده و رسول‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫عزوجل وان اشهد ان‬
“O Romans! A letter has come to us from Ahmad in which he invites us towards
Allah, the Almighty. I hereby declare and testify that there is none worthy of
worship besides Allah and Ahmad is His slave and messenger.”
The instant the people heard this declaration they fell onto him and beat him to
death. Hadhrat Dihyaa  returned to the emperor and recounted whatever he
witnessed. The emperor responded: “I also harbour the same fear. I am terrified of
them treating me in the same manner.”
The Roman emperor told Hadhrat Dihyaa : “I am well aware and do
recognise him to be the true Prophet, as pronounced by archbishop Daghatir but if I
were to publicly admit this, I will be dispossessed of my kingship and my people

will assassinate me.”
However, the emperor failed to take heed of the statement of Rasulullah
 mentioned in the letter:
“Embrace Islam and you will be secure.”
Had he embraced Islam, he would have secured this world as well as the
hereafter.
With great reverence, the Emperor concealed this blessed letter of Rasulullah
 in a box made out of gold. Ameer Saifud-Deen Mansuri narrates: “King
Mansur once sent me with certain instructions to King Maghrib. On account of
some petition, he sent me to King Faranj who was a descendant of Caesar, the
Roman emperor. As I was about to return, he insisted that I wait. He enticed me by
revealing: ‘If you wait I will show you something magnificent and rare.’ I waited
until he called for a chest embellished with ingots of gold. He extracted a golden
box from it and opened it. The box contained a letter wrapped in silk. Most of the
words had faded away. The King pointed out: ‘This is the letter of your Prophet
addressed to my grandfather, the Caesar. It is in my possession as part of his
legacy. My grandfather made a bequest warning us: ‘As long as this letter remains
safe, your empire will remain safe. This is why we take such great pains to protect,
preserve and revere this letter and conceal it from the Christians.’”
(2) Letter to Chosroe Parvez, emperor of Persia
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫م < من اتبع‬K‫ س‬،‫ ا¯ كسى عظيم فارس‬4‫من ممد رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ شيك ل‬O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ ورسول وشهد ان‬4‫ وامن با‬،‫الهدي‬
ّٰ
‫ عزوجل فان انا رسول‬4‫ ادعوك بدعية ا‬.‫وان ممدا عبده و رسول‬
ّٰ
،‫ نذر من كن حيا ويحق القول < الكفرين‬O ‫ ا¯ الاس كهم‬4‫ا‬
‫اسلم تسلم فان تولت فعليك اثم المجوس‬
From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah to Chosroe, the head of Persia. Salaam
upon those who adhere to divine guidance, believe in Allah and His Messenger and
testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, Who is alone and has no
partner and they testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. With the
Chapter 20 417
divine instruction of Allah, I extend to you an invitation towards the religion of

which I am the Messenger to all the peoples of the world so that I may warn those
whose hearts are alive and that the word of Allah be implemented against the
disbelievers. Embrace Islam and you will be safe. If you decline this invitation, the
sin of all the Zoroastrians will be on your shoulders.”
Rasulullah  despatched this letter with ‘Abdullah bin Huzaafah Sahmi
. The moment Chosroe’s glance fell onto this letter, he flew into a wild rage.
He tore the letter to pieces and shrieked: “This man has the audacity to write a
letter like this? He is inviting me to embrace Islam whereas he is my slave.”
‘Abdullah bin Huzaafah Sahmi  returned and gave Rasulullah 
a detailed report on what transpired. Rasulullah  commented: “Chosroe’s
country has fallen to bits and pieces.”
On reading the letter, Chosroe wrote to Baazaan, the governor of Yemen to
send two powerful men to apprehend this man who had written this letter to him.
He instructed Baazaan to arrest him and deliver him to the imperial court.
Baazaan promptly sent two men with a letter addressed to Rasulullah
. When these two men appeared with Baazaan’s letter before Rasulullah
, they were so overwhelmed with the awe of Rasulullah  that
they started trembling. Shivering with anxiety, they presented the letter to
Rasulullah . On hearing the letter read out to him, Rasulullah 
smiled and invited both of them to embrace Islam and asked them to return the
following day. When they returned to Rasulullah  the following day, he
reported: “Last night at a certain time, Allah Ta’ala enabled Sherwayh to prevail
over his father, Chosroe. Sherwayh executed his father Chosroe.”
This incident occurred on Tuesday the tenth of Jumaadal-Ula 7 A.H.
Rasulullah  charged both of them to return to Baazaan and give him
an account of what happened. He also added: “Also inform Baazaan that my
religion and my supremacy will reach as far afield as the empire of Chosroe had
reached.”
On hearing this, Baazaan remarked: “These surely do seem like the words of a
prophet. If this information is true then I swear by Allah that this man is a divine
Messenger.”
Subsequently, this information proved to be correct. Baazaan, together with
his kinsfolk, companions and near and dear ones, all embraced Islam. He also
informed Rasulullah  of him embracing Islam.
(3) Letter to Negus, the Emperor of Abyssinia
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫ اما بعد‬،‫م عليك‬K‫ ا¯ الجاش ملك البشه س‬4‫من ممد رسول ا‬
ّٰ
،‫م‬K‫ الس‬،‫ القدوس‬،‫ هو الملك‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ الي‬4‫فان احد الك ا‬
ّٰ ٰ ‫ واشهد ان‬،‫ المهيمن‬،‫المؤمن‬
‫ وكمته القاها‬4‫عيس بن مريم روح ا‬
ّٰ
‫ من‬4‫ا¯ مريم التول الطيبة الصينة فحملت بعيس فخلقه ا‬
ّٰ
O ‫ وحده‬4‫ وان ادعوك ا¯ ا‬.‫روحه ونفخه كما خلق ادم بيده‬
‫ة < طاعته وان تتبعن وت ٔومن بالي جاءن فان‬O‫شيك ل والموا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ تعا¯ فقد بلغت ونصحت‬4‫ وان ادعوك وجنودك ا¯ ا‬4‫رسول ا‬
‫م < من اتبع الهدى‬K‫ والس‬.‫فاقبلوا نصيحت‬
From Muhammad, the slave of Allah, to Negus, the emperor of Abyssinia. Salaam
unto you. I glorify before you the Allah besides Whom there is none worthy of
worship. He is the absolute sovereign, the glorified, free from all defects, provider of
security and protector of everyone. I hereby testify that ‘Isa, the son of Maryam is
the Rooh of Allah and His word which He had transmitted into Maryam the chaste
virgin. She fell pregnant with ‘Isa. Allah created him from His soul like He created
Aadam with His hand. I hereby invite you towards Allah Who is all alone and He
has no partner. I also invite you to worship Him eternally and that you pursue and
believe in what I have brought (i.e. the Holy Qur-aan). Surely I am the Messenger of
Allah and I invite you and your entire army towards Allah Ta’ala. I have conveyed
the message and offered my advice. I urge you to accept my advice. And Salaam
upon those who adhere to divine guidance.”
Rasulullah  despatched Hadhrat ‘Amr bin Umayyah Damiri  with
this letter. ‘Amr bin Umayyah  handed this letter over to the emperor and
addressed him thus: “O Ashamah! I wish to tell you something. I hope you will
listen attentively. We trust you and entertain good thoughts about you. Whenever
we anticipated goodness from you we always acquired it. We were never
confronted with fear and anxiety in your dominion of peace and safety.
Chapter 20 419
The bible, which according to your own admission, is a reliable source of

evidence, will be an impartial witness between you and me and its testimony
cannot be rejected. It is such a judge and adjudicator that would not go beyond the
limits of justice. If you do not accept this invitation, then you will be to this
unlettered Messenger like the Jews were to ‘Isa . Rasulullah  has
despatched his messengers to the other rulers of the world as well but compared to
the others, we cherish higher expectations of you.”
Negus’ Response
I hereby testify and swear that he is the same unlettered Prophet who has been
awaited by the people of the scripture. Just as Musa  issued glad tidings of
‘Isa  by referring to him as the rider of the donkey, similarly, he had issued
glad tidings of Muhammad  by referring to him as the rider of the camel.
I have such firm faith in his Prophethood that even after viewing him firsthand, it
would not make an iota of difference in the conviction of my faith.”
Negus then accepted the blessed letter of Rasulullah , placed it over
his eyes in reverence, descended from his throne and sat down on the ground. He
then embraced Islam and bore testimony to the truth. Thereafter, he dictated a
reply to Rasulullah’s  letter.
Negus’ Reply to Rasulullah’s  Letter
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫م عليك يا‬K‫ س‬،‫صحم بن ابز‬O‫ من الجاش ا‬4‫ا¯ ممد رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ هو الي هدان‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ الي‬4‫ و بركته احد ا‬4‫ ! ورحة ا‬4‫نب ا‬
ّٰ
‫ ! فما ذكرت من‬4‫ اما بعد ! فقد بلغن كتابك يا رسول ا‬.‫م‬K‫س‬K‫ل‬
‫عيس ما يزيد < ما ذكرت‬ ٰ ‫ ان‬،‫رض‬O‫امر عيس فورب السماء وا‬
ً ُ
‫ وقد عرفنا ما بعثت به إلنا وقد قرينا ابن‬،‫ انه كما قلت‬،‫ثغروفا‬
ّٰ
‫ وقد بايعتك‬،‫ صادقا مصدقا‬4‫عمك واصحابه فاشهد انك رسول ا‬
ّٰ
‫ وقد بعثت‬،‫ رب العالمي‬4 ‫ واسلمت < يديه‬،‫وبايعت ابن عمك‬
‫نفس وان‬O‫ املك ا‬O ‫بز فان‬O‫صحم بن ا‬O‫الك بابن ارها ابن ا‬
‫م‬K‫ والس‬.‫شئت ان اتيك فعلت يا رسول ! فان اشهد ان ما تقول حق‬
ّٰ
! 4‫ا‬ ‫عليك يا رسول‬
To Muhammad Rasulullah  from Negus Asham bin Abjaz.
Salaam, and the mercy and the blessings of Allah upon you O Prophet of Allah!
I glorify Allah besides Whom there is none worthy of worship and I praise Him for
guiding me towards Islam.
Your letter has reached me, O Prophet of Allah! Whatever you mentioned about ‘Isa
, I swear by the Lord of the sky and the earth that ‘Isa  is nothing
more than that. We have recognised (and acknowledged) the religion with which
you have been sent to us.
We have entertained your cousin and his companions (whilst they were here and
obtained firsthand information from them about Islam etc.)
So I bear testimony that you are the truthful and credible Messenger. I have pledged
my allegiance on your hands and the hands of your cousin and I had embraced
Islam upon his hands for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
I am sending my son Arhaa bin Asham to you. I have control over myself only. O
Rasulullah ! If you wish I will present myself in person before you. I
hereby testify that whatever you say is absolutely true.
Salaam upon you, O Rasulullah !”
Negus despatched his son in the company of sixty other Abyssinians to Rasulullah
. However, the ship they were travelling in sank en route (drowning all
passengers on board).
This is the same Negus towards whom the Muslims migrated in the fifth year
of prophethood. His name was Ashamah. He embraced Islam at the hands of
Hadhrat Ja’far  and he passed away in Rajab 9 A.H. Rasulullah 
informed the Sahaabah  of his death on the very day that he passed away.
Rasulullah , together with the Sahaabah  performed his ‘absent’
Janaazah Salaah in the Eid-Gaah.
Another ruler, also referred to as Negus, succeeded him. Rasulullah 
wrote to him also inviting him to embrace Islam. The letter reads as follows:
Chapter 20 421
ّٰ
‫صحم عظيم‬O‫ عليه وسلم ا¯ الجاش ا‬4‫من الب ممد صل ا‬
ّٰ
‫ ال‬O ‫ ورسول وشهد ان‬4‫م < من اتبع الهدي وامن با‬K‫ س‬،‫البشة‬
ّٰ
‫ ولا وان ممدا‬O‫ لم يتخذ صاحبة و‬،‫ شيك ل‬O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬O‫ا‬
ّٰ
‫ يا اهل‬،‫ فاسلم تسلم‬،‫ فان انا رسول‬4‫عبده ورسول ادعوك بدعية ا‬
ّٰ
O‫ و‬4‫ ا‬O‫ نعبد ا‬O ‫الكتاب تعالوا ا¯ كمة سواء بيننا و بينكم ان‬
ّٰ
‫ فان تولوا‬4‫ يتخذ بعضنا بعضا اربابا من دون ا‬O‫نشك به شيئا و‬
‫ فان ابيت فعليك اثم الصارى من‬،‫فقولوا اشهدوا بأنا مسلمون‬
‫قومك‬
“From the divine Messenger Muhammad  to Negus Asham, the ruler of
Abyssinia. Salaam upon those who adhere to divine guidance, believe in Allah and
His Messenger, testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah Who is all
alone, He has no partner and He has not taken a wife or son and that Muhammad
is His slave and Messenger.
I invite you with the invitation of Allah as I am His Messenger. Embrace Islam and
you will be safe.
‘O people of the scripture! Come to such a word that, between us, is an
acknowledged fact; that we do not worship anyone but Allah, we do not ascribe
partners unto Him and that none of us will take others as lords besides Allah. Then
if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’
If you (O Negus!) decline this invitation, the sin of all the Christians of your nation
will fall on your shoulders.”
The Islam of this Negus could neither be established nor could his first name be
ascertained. Ibn Kaseer  says: “This Negus is different to the Negus who
embraced Islam at the hands of Hadhrat Ja’far .”
(4) Letter to Muqawqis, Governor of Egypt and Alexandria
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫م < من‬K‫ س‬،‫ و رسول ا¯ المقوقس عظيم القبط‬4‫من ممد عبدا‬
‫م اسلم تسلم يوتك‬K‫س‬O‫اتبع الهدى اما بعد ! فان ادعوك بدعية ا‬
ّٰ
‫ يا اهل الكتاب تعالوا‬.‫ اجرك مرتي فان تولت فعليك اثم القبط‬4‫ا‬
ّٰ
‫ نشك به شيئا‬O‫ و‬4‫ ا‬O‫ نعبد ا‬O ‫ا¯ كمة سواء بيننا و بينكم ان‬
ّٰ
‫ فان تولوا فقولوا اشهد وا بانا‬،4‫ يتخد بعضنا اربابا من دون ا‬O‫و‬
‫مسلمون‬
From Muhammad, the slave and Messenger of Allah, to Muqawqis, the head of the
Coptics. Salaam upon those who adhere to divine guidance.
I invite you with the invitation of Islam. Embrace Islam and you will be safe and
Allah will reward you twofold. (In the Holy Qur-aan, Allah Ta’ala assures the
people of the book a twofold reward for embracing Islam.) So if you turn down this
invitation, the sin of all the Copts will be on your shoulders. ‘O people of the
scripture! Come to such a word that, between us, is an acknowledged fact; that we
do not worship anyone but Allah, we do not ascribe partners unto Him and that
none of us will take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: ‘Bear
witness that we are Muslims.’”
Affixing his official seal to this letter, Rasulullah  sent Haatib bin Abi
Balta‘ah  with it to the governor of Egypt. On reaching there he was
informed that the governor was in Alexandria. He then set out for Alexandria,
where he found the governor seated on a terrace overlooking the sea. From the
bottom, Haatib  pointed towards the letter. The governor bade him to join
him at the top. Haatib  went up and presented the blessed letter to him. He
received the letter with great reverence and respectfully read through it.
Hadhrat Haatib  narrates: “Thereafter the governor of Alexandria
accommodated me as a special guest in one of the imperial quarters. One day, he
convened all the patriarchs and leaders and sent for me. He said: ‘I wish to ask you
a few questions. Deliberate before you respond.’ Haatib  replied: ‘Fine.’”
Chapter 20 423
Muqawqis, the governor, asked: “Is the person from whom you brought this letter,
not a divine Messenger?”
Haatib  replied: “Off course! He is the Messenger of Allah.”
Muqawqis said: “If he really is a divine Messenger, then why did he not curse
his people and supplicate for their destruction when they banished him from
Makkah?”
Haatib  countered: “Do you bear witness that ‘Isa the son of Maryam
 was a divine Messenger?” “No doubt,” replied Muqawqis, “he was a
Messenger of Allah.”
Haatib  remarked: “Since he was the Messenger of Allah then why did
he not curse his enemies when they conspired to crucify him? Why did he not
make dua to Allah Ta’ala to destroy them? In due course, Allah Ta’ala raised him
up close to Him.”
To this Muqawqis commented: “You are wise and you have come before a
wise person.”
Lecture of Haatib  in the Court of Muqawqis
On hearing this sensible response from Haatib , the governor was unable to
offer any further comment and remained silent. Thereafter, Haatib 
addressed the governor and said: “You are well aware of a man who once passed
through this very country of Egypt and professed that he is the highest lord. Allah
Ta’ala seized, punished and destroyed him. You should take a lesson from this. It
should not be such that others take lesson from you (your punishment). There is a
religion far superior to your religion and that is the religion of Islam, which Allah
Ta’ala had promised to overshadow all other religions. All other religions will be
rendered insignificant before this religion. Allah Ta’ala has commissioned this
Prophet to invite the people to this religion. In this regard, the Quraysh proved to
be most challenging, the Jews most hostile and the Christians the closest. By Allah!
The glad tidings of Hadhrat ‘Isa  issued by Hadhrat Musa  are
precisely the same as the glad tidings issued by Hadhrat ‘Isa  in favour of
Muhammad Rasulullah . There is no distinction between the two (cases
of glad tidings). As for inviting you towards the Holy Qur-aan, it is exactly the
same as you inviting the people of the Towrah (Jews) towards the Injeel (new
testament).
A nation who comes across a divine Messenger, that nation becomes the
Ummah of this Messenger. They are now compelled to adhere to this Messenger.
You, O governor, are also amongst those who have come across a divine
Messenger. We are not prohibiting you from Christianity but rather, we are
commanding you to adhere to the directive of Hadhrat Maseeh (‘Isa) .”
Response of the Governor

Muqawqis, the governor replied: “I have pondered over this Prophet at length and
found that he commands righteousness and prohibits from evil. He does not enjoin
detestable things and does not forbid goodness. He is neither a sorcerer nor is he
astray. He is neither a soothsayer nor is he a liar. I have come across distinct signs
of Prophethood in him such as his news of the unseen. Nonetheless, allow me to
deliberate upon this further.”
He thereafter concealed this blessed letter in an ivory box and instructed his
treasurer to keep it safely.
Subsequent to this, he called for his scribe and bade him to write a reply to
Rasulullah’s  letter in Arabic.
Muqawqis, Reply to Rasulullah’s  Letter
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
.‫م عليك‬K‫ من المقوقس عظيم القبط س‬4‫ا¯ ممد بن عبدا‬
‫ و فهمت ما ذكرت فيه وما تدعو‬،‫اما بعد! فقد قرات كتابك‬
‫ وكنت اظن ان يرج من الشام‬،‫اله وقد علمت ان نبيا قد بق‬
‫ و بعثته الك باريتي لهما من القبط‬،‫وقد اكرمت رسولك‬
‫م‬K‫مكن عظيم وكسة واهديت الك بغلة لتكبها والس‬
To Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah, from Muqawqis the head of the Copts.
Salaam upon you. I have read your letter and understood what you mentioned
therein in regards to your invitation (towards Islam etc.).
I was certain that a final Messenger is yet to come but I was under the impression
that he would hail from Shaam.
Nonetheless, I have received your Messenger with great respect. As a gift to you, I
am sending with him two slave girls, a few sets of clothing and a mule for your
conveyance. Wassalaam.”
Chapter 20 425
The name of one these slave girls was Maariyah Qibtiyyah (the Copt). She was
included in the Haram (harem) of Rasulullah . Rasulullah’s 
son, Ibraaheem , was born from her. The name of the other slave girl was
Shireen and she was awarded to Hassaan bin Saabit . The name of the mule
was Duldul.
Muqawqis received the ambassador of Rasulullah  with profound
reverence and displayed great esteem towards his blessed letter and although he
acknowledged that Rasulullah  was the final Messenger about whom the
previous Prophets issued glad tidings, he did not embrace Islam. He remained
committed to Christianity.
When Haatib bin Abi Balta‘ah  returned to Rasulullah  and
related the whole incident, Rasulullah  commented: “Kingdom and
kingship prevented him from embracing Islam but his kingdom will not last
forever.”
In accordance with this prophecy, the Muslims conquered Egypt in the
Caliphate of Hadhrat ‘Umar .
Muqawqis had already gleaned quite a bit of information about Rasulullah
 from Mughirah bin Shu’bah . Before embracing Islam, Hadhrat
Mughirah bin Shu‘bah , accompanied by a few members of the Banu Maalik
clan, happened to appear before Muqawqis. This is when he managed to get a good
deal of information about Rasulullah  and his current circumstances.
Upon Muqawqis enquiring from them about the conditions of Rasulullah
, Mughirah bin Shu’bah  replied: “This man has come to us with an
entirely new-fangled religion which is totally different to our ancestral beliefs and
in conflict to the faith of the governor as well.
Muqawqis: What is the reaction of his people with him?
Mughirah: Most of the youth have adhered to him whilst the elderly have
opposed him. A number of battles have been fought between the two rival armies.
At times they triumph and at times their rivals are victorious.
Muqawqis: What does he invite you to?
Mughirah: He instructs us to worship one Allah Alone without ascribing any
partners unto Him. He commands us to renounce the idols our ancestors were
worshipping. He also bids us to perform Salaah and pay Zakaat.
Muqawqis: Is there any time set for Salaah and any amount fixed for Zakaat?
Mughirah: They perform five Salaahs during the day and night, and half a
Mithqaal (app 4 grams) Zakaat is levied upon twenty Mithqaals i.e. two and half
percent Zakaat is payable.
Muqawqis: What does he do with the Zakaat he collects?
Mughirah: He distributes it amongst the poor and destitute. Besides this, he
enjoins the maintenance of favourable family ties and the honouring of one’s word.
He prohibits adultery, interest and alcohol, and he does not consume animals
slaughtered upon the name of any being other than Allah.
Muqawqis: Without doubt, this man is a divine Messenger. He has been
commissioned as a Prophet to all the people of the world. Hadhrat ‘Isa also
enjoined the same commandments. Before him, all the Ambiyaa  also
prescribed the same teachings. Ultimately, he will prevail until there will be
nobody to challenge him and the range of his religion will expand to the furthest
corners of the globe.
Mughirah: Even if the whole world were to put their faith in him, we would
not embrace Islam.
Muqawqis: You people are foolish and stupid. Tell me, what is his lineage
like?
Mughirah: He is a man of outstanding and impeccable lineage.
Muqawqis: The Ambiyaa  always hail from the most eminent and
noble families. Tell me about his truthfulness and honesty.
Mughirah: It is due to his truthfulness and honesty that all of Arabia refers to
him as Al-Ameen (the trustworthy).
Muqawqis: Ponder over this; how is it possible for a person to stick to the
truth when he deals with his fellow humans but he attributes falsehood to Allah?
Also, tell me, what are his followers like?
Mughirah: His followers are made up of the youth.
Muqawqis: Before him, most of the followers of the Ambiyaa  were
the youth.
Thereafter Muqawqis asked: “What is the attitude of the Jews of Yasrib
(Madinah) towards him? They are, after all, people of the Taurah.”
Mughirah: They opposed him. Consequently, he killed some of them, some of
them he imprisoned and some of them he expelled from their homes.
To this, Muqawqis commented: “The Jews are a painfully jealous nation. They
are resentful about him being chosen as the final Messenger otherwise they, like
ourselves, are well-aware of his status.”
Mughirah relates: “Upon termination of our discussion with him, we exited the
palace and I thought to myself: ‘Even the non-Arab rulers of the world are attesting
to his Prophethood whereas they are far away from him. We, on the other hand,
are his relatives and neighbours and yet we have not entered his religion even
though he came right to our doors to invite us.’ This really cast a profound
impression upon my heart. I stayed over in Alexandria for some time and not a
single church remained that I did not visit and not a single clergyman remained
from whom I did not enquire about the attributes and circumstances of Rasulullah
. I persisted with my enquiries until I visited their archbishop who was
an eminent worshipper and celebrated ascetic. People would bring their ill to him
to make dua for them. I asked him: ‘Is there any divine messenger left to be
commissioned?’ He replied:
Chapter 20 427
‫ وهو نب‬،‫نبياء ليس بينه وبي عيس بن مريم احد‬O‫نعم ! هو آخر ا‬

‫م العرب اسمه احد‬O‫مرسل وقد امرنا عيس باتباعه وهو الب ا‬
‫ يعض شعره ويلبس ما غلظ‬، ‫ بالدم‬O‫ بيض و‬O‫ليس بالطويل و‬
¯‫ يبا‬O‫ سيفه < عتقه و‬، ‫من الياب ويجتئ بما لق من الطعام‬
‫ هم ل‬، ‫ق يباش القتال بنفسه ومعه اصحابه يفدونه بانفسهم‬O ‫بمن‬
¯‫دهم يرج من ارض حرم ويات ا¯ حرم يهاجر ا‬O‫اشد حبا من او‬
‫م‬K‫ارض سباخ ونل يدين بدين ابراهيم عليه الس‬
‘Yes. He (Rasulullah ) is the final Messenger. There is no Messenger
between him and ‘Isa . He is a divine Messenger. ‘Isa  instructed us to
comply with him. He is an unlettered Arabian Prophet. His name is Ahmad. He is
neither very tall nor short but in between, of a moderate height. He has a tinge of
redness within his eyes. He is neither very fair nor very brown. He will have
substantial hair (on his head and beard). He will wear coarse clothing. He will be
content with whatever food is available to him. His sword will be over his neck and
he will not be troubled by whoever opposes him. He will take active part in battle.
With him will be his companions who will enthusiastically give their lives for him.
They will cherish him more than their own children. He will appear in the Haram of
Makkah and emigrate to a land of brackish water and abundant date-palms. He
will adhere to the faith of Ibraaheem .’”
Mughirah relates: “I then asked him: ‘Provide me with more details about him.’ The
archbishop replied: ‘He will wear an Izaar (lungi or lower garment). He will wash
his limbs (make Wudhu). All the divine Messengers before him were commissioned
exclusively for their own people but this Prophet has been commissioned for every
nation of the world. The entire earth is a Masjid and source of purity for him.
Wherever Salaah time finds him and water is not available, he will perform
Tayammum and offer his Salaah. He will not be restricted to a temple or church
like the Bani Israa’eel. Their Salaah was not valid except in a specific place of
worship.’”
Mughirah says: “I listened attentively to whatever he said and committed it to
memory. I subsequently returned to Madinah, appeared before Rasulullah
 and embraced Islam.”
Letter to Munzir bin Sawa, Governor of Bahrain

Rasulullah  composed a letter of invitation towards Islam to Munzir bin
Sawa and sent it with ‘Alaa bin Hadrami .
‘Alaa bin Hadrami  narrates: “When I reached Munzir with the blessed
letter of Rasulullah , I addressed him saying:
‘O Munzir! In worldly affairs you are regarded as very intelligent and astute.
Do not become foolish and naive in terms of the hereafter. This religion of fire-
worship (Zoroastrianism) is the most immoral religion around. It neither contains
the nobility of the Arabs nor the knowledge of the people of the scriptures. The
adherents of this religion marry such women (sisters etc.), the mere mention of
which is unspeakably shameful. They consume such things that are disgusting to
people of sound disposition. They worship the fire of this world whereas in the
hereafter, the same fire will devour them. O Munzir! You are not foolish and naive.
Reflect over this and ponder over it at length. The being who does not speak lies
ever, why do you hesitate in believing in Him? Why are you suspicious of His
integrity? The being who never engages in treachery, why are you sceptical of
regarding Him as honest? The being who does not act contrary to His word, what
misgivings do you harbour about His reliability? If Rasulullah’s  blessed
being is like this –and indisputably it is so – then unquestionably he is the divine
Messenger of Allah Ta’ala. He is such a Messenger that if he enjoins something, no
intelligent person will dare say, ‘if only he did not enjoin this,’ if he prohibits
something, no sensible person will dare say, ‘if only he did not prevent this’, if he
grants relief from something up to a certain degree, no rational person would say,
‘why did he not offer greater relief’ or if he imposes a certain punishment, he
would not demand a reduction or alleviation in it. The reason for this is that every
single word, action, order and injunction of Rasulullah  is in perfect
harmony to the aspirations and inclinations of every person of sound intellect.’”
Response of Munzir bin Sawa

Munzir responded: “The religion that I adhere to, I have pondered over it
extensively and found it to be exclusively focused upon this materialistic world and
not upon the hereafter. When I deliberated over your religion, I found it to be
advantageous to both this world as well as the hereafter. So what prevents me from
accepting this religion? Its acceptance promises to deliver the aspirations of life and
the comforts of death. Until now I was appalled by those who embrace this religion
of Islam but now I am outraged by those who refute this true religion.”
Chapter 20 429
Munzir bin Sawa’s Response to Rasulullah’s  Letter
Munzir bin Sawa embraced Islam and replied to Rasulullah’s  letter thus:
‫ ! فان قرأت كتابك < اهل الحرين فمنهم من‬4‫اما بعد يا رسول ا‬
‫م واعجبه و دخل فيه ومنهم من كرهه وبارض يهود و‬K‫س‬O‫احب ا‬
‫موس فاحدث ا¯ ف ذلك امرك‬
“O Rasulullah! I read out your letter to the people of Bahrain. Some of them are fond
of Islam. They found it incredibly appealing and entered its fold. However, some of
them are unwilling to accept Islam. Furthermore, there are a number of Jews and
Zorastrians residing in our country. I eagerly await your judgement in regards to
these people.”
Rasulullah  forwarded the following reply:
َّ ‫الر ْحٰن‬
‫الرحِيْ ِم‬
ّٰ ْ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ ‫بِس ِم‬
ِ
ّٰ
‫ فان احد‬،‫م عليك‬K‫ س‬،‫ ا¯ المنذر بن ساوى‬4‫من ممد رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ اما بعد ! فان‬4‫ هو واشهد ان ممدا رسول ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ الي‬4‫الك ا‬
ّٰ
‫ عزوجل فانه من ينصح فانما ينصح لفسه وانه من يطع‬4‫اذكرك ا‬
‫رسل ويبتع امرهم فقد اطاعن ومن نصح لهم فقد نصح ¯ وان‬
‫ وان قد شفعتك ف قومك فاترك‬.‫رسل قد اثنوا عليك خيا‬
‫للمسلمي ما اسلموا عليك وعفوت عن اهل النوب فاقبل منهم‬
‫وانك مهما تصلح فلن نعزلك عن عملك ومن اقام < يهوديته او‬
‫موسيته فعليه الزية‬
From Muhammad Rasulullah to Munzir bin Sawa. Salaam upon you.
I present before you praises of the Lord besides Whom there is none worthy of
worship and hereby testify that Muhammad is the Rasool (Messenger) of Allah.
I hereby remind you about Allah Ta’ala because he who acts in good faith towards
Allah Ta’ala, he is actually doing good to himself.
He who obeys and complies with my Messengers has in reality been obedient to me.
He who acts in good faith towards them has acted in good faith towards me. My
messengers have expressed profound praise for you.
I have accepted your intercession on behalf of your people. Leave in the hands of the
Muslims the possessions they embraced Islam upon. I have forgiven the errant
amongst them. So accept their Islam or their repentance. As long as you remain
committed to acting in good faith, I will not remove you. He who wishes to hold fast
to his Judaism or to his Zorastrianism, Jizyah (tax) will be imposed upon him.”
(6) Letter to the Ruler of Amman
َّ ‫الر ْحٰن‬
‫الرحِيْ ِم‬
ّٰ ْ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ ‫بِس ِم‬
ِ
ّٰ
‫م‬K‫ س‬،‫ ورسول ا¯ جيفرو عبد ابن اللندي‬4‫من ممد بن عبدا‬
‫م اسلما‬K‫س‬O‫< من اتبع الهدى اما بعد ! فان ادعوكما بدعية ا‬
‫نذر من كن حيا و يق القول‬O ‫ ا¯ الاس كفة‬4‫تسلما فان رسول ا‬
‫م ولتكما وان ابيتما ان‬K‫س‬O‫< الكفرين وانكما ان اقررتما با‬
‫م فان ملككما زائل عنكما و خيل تل بساحتكما‬K‫س‬O‫تقرا با‬
‫وتظهر نبوت < ملككما‬
From Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Messenger to Jayfar and ‘Abd, the two
sons of Julandi.
Salaam upon those who adhere to divine guidance.
I invite both of you with the invitation of Islam. Embrace Islam and you will be safe.
I am the divine Messenger of Allah sent to all the peoples of the world so that I may
warn the living of the punishment of Allah and so that the proof may be established
against the disbelievers. If you embrace Islam you will be retained (as leaders of
your country) otherwise bear in mind that you will soon be unseated from your
Chapter 20 431
kingdom, my cavalry will march right up to your entrance hall and my Prophethood
will prevail over every religion of your kingdom.”
In 8 A.H. in the month of Zul-Q‘adah, Rasulullah  sent ‘Amr bin ‘Aas
 with this letter to the two sons of Julandi; ‘Abd and Jayfar. Hadhrat ‘Amr
bin ‘Aas  narrates: “Bearing this blessed letter I landed in ‘Ammaan where I
first met with ‘Abd. He was an exceptionally forbearing, tolerant and good-natured
person. I explained to him that I am the messenger of Rasulullah  and
that Rasulullah  instructed me to present this letter to him and his
brother. ‘Abd said: “My elder brother Jayfar is the supreme ruler. I will arrange an
imperial audience for you with him. You should present this letter to him.”
Thereafter, ‘Abd asked me: “What did you come to invite us to?”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : Worship one Allah Alone, renounce idol worship and
testify that Muhammad  is the slave and Messenger of Allah.
‘Abd: O ‘Amr bin ‘Aas! You are the son of an eminent chieftain of your tribe.
Tell me, what was the reaction of your father to this religion? We will adopt
whatever he has settled on.
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : My father passed away without Imaan upon
Rasulullah . It is my fervent wish that if only he embraced Islam and
believed in Rasulullah . For a lengthy period of time I too held onto his
beliefs until Allah Ta’ala divinely guided me towards Islam.
‘Abd: When did you embrace Islam?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : I embraced Islam just a few days ago.
‘Abd: Where did you accept Islam?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : At the hands of Negus, the Emperor of Abyssinia and
Negus himself also embraced Islam.
‘Abd: What was the attitude of his people towards him subsequent to him
embracing Islam?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : As before, they retained him as their monarch and
followed him.
‘Abd: What was the reaction of the clergy?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : All of them yielded to him.
‘Abd: O ‘Amr! Think very carefully before you speak because there is no
habit as offensive as telling lies. There is nothing more humiliating for a man than
lies.
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : Never! I certainly did not speak a lie, and speaking lies
is not permissible even in our religion.
‘Abd: I wonder if Hiraql, the Emperor of Rome is aware of Negus embracing
Islam.
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : The Emperor is well aware of Negus embracing Islam.
‘Abd: How do you know about that?

‘Amr bin ‘Aas : Negus was paying his taxes to the Roman Emperor
but subsequent to him embracing Islam, Negus declined to pay any form of tax to
him. He also declared: “I swear by Allah, if the Roman Emperor has to demand
even one Dirham (in tax) I will certainly not pay it to him.”
When the Emperor heard of this emphatic declaration, he remained silent. On
noticing this bewildering silence, the Emperor’s brother, Nayaaq howled in rage:
“What? Will you let this slave of yours, Negus go unpunished even though he
refuses to pay tax and renounces your religion for another one?” The Emperor
replied: “Negus is free to choose whichever religion he fancies. He has opted for
this particular religion and he has all the right to do so. I swear by Allah that if it
was not for the fear of my kingdom, I would have also followed suit and embraced
this particular religion.”
‘Abd (stunned by the turn of events) said: O ‘Amr what are you saying?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : By Allah! I am speaking the truth.
‘Abd: Okay, tell me what does your Prophet command you to do and what
does he restrain you from?
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : He commands us to obey Allah Ta’ala and restrains
us from His disobedience. He instructs us to carry out good deeds and to maintain
favourable family ties, and he prohibits us from cruelty, transgression, adultery,
drinking alcohol, idol and cross-worship.
‘Abd: What a pleasant invitation and what wonderful counsel. If only my
brother were to concur with me then both of us could present ourselves before
Rasulullah  and embrace Islam at his hands. However, it may be possible
that my brother’s concern for kingship will largely contribute to his reluctance (to
embrace this faith).
‘Amr bin ‘Aas : If he embraces Islam, Rasulullah  will leave
your brother’s imperial status unchanged and he will instruct him to collect charity
from the rich of the community and redistribute it amongst their poor and
destitute.
‘Abd: That is splendid! Tell me, how much and how is this form of charity
levied?
Hadhrat Amr bin ‘Aas  relates: “I explained to him in detail how much
of Zakaat is levied on gold and silver and to what extent it is imposed on camels
and goats etc. Thereafter, ‘Abd presented me before his brother Jayfar. I presented
him with the sealed letter of Rasulullah . He took the letter from me,
broke the seal open and read through it. After asking me to take a seat, he enquired
a bit about the conditions of the Quraysh etc. Following one or two days of
reflection, he also demonstrated his inclination towards Islam. Both brothers
collectively proclaimed their Islamic status and a number of people also embraced
Islam with them. Jizyah (tax) was imposed on those who failed to embrace Islam.”
Chapter 20 433
‘Allaamah Suhayli  writes that ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  addressed Julandi

(their father) and said: “O Julandi! Although you are far away from us, you are not
far away from Allah Ta’ala. The Being Who created you all alone without any
partner, worship Him Alone, and the being who is not a partner to Allah Ta’ala in
your creation, do not make him a partner in the worship of Allah Ta’ala. Bear in
mind that the Supreme Being who gave you life will indisputably give you death
too, and the Being who started off your very conception will soon call you back
unto Him. So I urge you to reflect very carefully upon this unlettered Messenger
who has presented to us the goodness and success of this world as well as the
hereafter. If he demands any form of compensation from you, withhold it and if
you perceive a hint of hedonistic pursuits (Nafsaani amusements) in any of his
words or actions, you may abandon him. I then exhort you to ponder over the
religion he has presented to us. Is this divine religion similar to the self-contrived
laws designed by people? If Rasulullah’s  religion is similar to man-made
religions of today, then tell me, which religion is it similar to? If his religion is not
akin to any of the man-made religions of today, then be aware that this religion is
the divine religion from Allah Ta’ala. So accept this religion and implement
whatever it commands you to do and beware of everything it warns you of.”
To this Julandi replied: “I have exhaustively contemplated over this unlettered
Prophet and found that without a doubt he does not enjoin anything good but he is
the first to implement it and he does not prohibit anything evil but he is the first to
abstain from it. When he triumphs over his enemies, he does not gloat in vanity
and when he is defeated he does not become agitated. He fulfils his promises and
honours his word. I hereby testify that he is, indisputably, a divine messenger.”
He then recited the following poems:
‫من الق شئ والصيح نصيح‬ ‫اتان عمرو بالت ليس بعدها‬

“Amr (bin ‘Aas ) appeared before me with that after which there is no other
truth and the faithful adviser has offered his good counsel.
ّٰ
‫ينادي بها ف الواديي فصيح‬ ‫ جهرة‬4 ‫فيا عمرو قد اسلمت‬
O ‘Amr! I openly declare that I have embraced Islam solely for the pleasure of Allah
and a crier may proclaim this in the valleys (of our country).”
(7) Letter to the Chief of Yamaamah, Huzah bin Ali
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
،‫م < من اتبع الهدى‬K‫ س‬،< ‫ ا¯ هوذة ابن‬4‫من ممد رسول ا‬
‫واعلم ان دين سيظهر ا¯ منته الف والافر فاسلم تسلم واجعل‬
‫لك ما تت يديك‬
From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Huzah bin Ali. Salaam upon those
who adhere to divine guidance.
Bear in mind that my religion will reach wherever camels and horses can tread.
Embrace Islam and you will be safe and I will allow you to retain custody over your
domain.”
Rasulullah  handed this letter over to Salit bin ‘Amr  and sent him
off to Huzah. Huzah read this blessed letter and entertained Salit  with royal
honour and high esteem.
Salit  addressed Huzah saying:
“O Huzah! Decaying and putrefying bones have appointed you as a leader. In
reality, a leader is he who is adorned with Imaan and secures a provision of Taqwa
(Allah-consciousness). I wish to command you to execute something that is most
eminent and I wish to prohibit you from something that is most despicable; I
command you to worship Allah Alone and I prohibit you from worshipping
shaytaan. If you accept this, all your aspirations will be realised and you will be
safe from anxiety. However, if you refuse, then the dreadful scene of Qiyaamah
(doomsday) will lift this veil that exists between you and us.”
Huzah replied: “Give me a bit of time and allow me to ponder over this.”
Subsequently, he responded to the blessed letter of Rasulullah  as
follows:
‫ما احسن ما تدعو اله واجله والعرب تهاب مكن فاجعل ا¯ بعض‬
‫مر اتبعك‬O‫ا‬
“What you are calling to is so magnificent and brilliant. The Arabs are awed over
my status and authority. So allow me some authority and I will submit before you.”
Chapter 20 435
As he was leaving with this reply, Huzah offered Hadhrat Salit  some gifts
that included some fine cloth produced in Hajar.
When he reached Madinah and narrated the incident to Rasulullah ,
he remarked: “By Allah! Even if he has to request for a single span of land I will
refuse. He and his country both are destroyed.”
On his return from the conquest of Makkah, Jibraa’eel  informed
Rasulullah  about the death of Huzah. He in turn conveyed this
information to the Sahaabah  and added: “Soon a liar, who will lay claim to
prophethood will emerge in Yamaamah and he will be assassinated after my
demise.” This is exactly what happened.
(8) Letter to the Ruler of Damascus Haaris Ghassaani
ّٰ
َّ ِ4‫ا‬ û
ِ
ّٰ
‫م < من اتبع‬K‫ س‬،‫ ا¯ الارث بن اب شمر‬4‫من ممد رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
O ‫ وحده‬4‫ وصدق فان ادعوك ا¯ ان تؤمن با‬4‫الهدى وامن با‬
‫ يبق ُملكك‬،‫شيك ل‬
From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Haaris bin Abi Shamr.
Salaam upon those who adhere to divine guidance, believe in Allah and affirm the
divine commandments of Allah.
I hereby invite you to believe in one Allah Who has no partner. If you affirm your
faith in this your sovereignty will remain intact.”
Bearing this blessed letter, Shuj‘a bin Wahhaab Asadi  landed in Damascus.
At that moment, the governor Haaris Ghassaani, was frantically engaged in
making preparations for hosting Caesar, the Roman Emperor. As a token of
gratitude of his victory over the Persian Empire, Caesar had then just arrived at
Baitul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem) walking barefoot all the way from Hims (Homs). So a
number of days passed by without Shuj‘a bin Wahhaab Asadi  securing a
meeting with Haaris Ghassaani, the governor.
Shuj‘a bin Wahhaab Asadi  relates: “I mentioned to the doorkeeper of
Haaris’s court: ‘I am a messenger of Rasulullah  and I wish to meet the
governor.’ The doorkeeper replied: ‘The governor will make an appearance in a few
days time. You will be able to meet him then.’
The doorkeeper actually hailed from Rome and his name was Murri. He
started asking me questions about Rasulullah . As I continued describing
to him the specifics of Rasulullah  he continued weeping. On being
informed about the conditions of Rasulullah , he commented: ‘I have read
the Injeel (bible) and I have come across his (Rasulullah’s ) name and
attributes in it. I hereby declare my faith in him and testify that he is the true
messenger of Allah. I fear that Haaris the governor will execute me (for declaring
my beliefs).’
Nonetheless, the doorkeeper treated me with great respect and went out of his
way in entertaining me as his guest.”
Finally Haaris made his appearance in the royal court. Wearing the imperial
crown on his head, he sat down in attendance. Hadhrat Shuj‘a  was then
given permission to enter the royal court. Hadhrat Shuj‘a  presented the
letter to him. On reading the letter, Haaris turned red in anger and hurling the
letter aside he roared in rage: “Who is this man who threatens to usurp my country
from me? I will pre-empt him and march against him.”
He then commanded that his horses be equipped in preparation for battle. He
also sent a letter describing the current events to the Roman emperor. The emperor
replied: “Hold your horses and put off your plans.”
On receiving the reply of the Emperor, Haaris summoned Hadhrat Shuj‘a
 and asked him when he intended to return home. He replied that he planned
to leave the following day. Haaris ordered that he be awarded one hundred
Mithqaals of gold as a gift.
Hadhrat Shuj‘a  relates: “The doorkeeper also presented something as a
gift and asked me to convey his Salaam to Rasulullah . I returned to
Madinah and recounted the entire incident before Rasulullah  who
remarked: “His country is destroyed.” I then conveyed the Salaam of Murri the
doorkeeper and also informed Rasulullah  about what he said. Rasulullah
 replied: “He has spoken the truth.”
Chapter 21
The Battle of Khaybar 7 A.H.
‫ﻜ ْﻢ ٰﻫﺬ ٖه‬ ۡ ‫وﻋﺪﻛﻢ اﷲ ﻣﻐﺎﻧﻢ ﻛﺜ ۡﲑةً ﺗﺎۡﺧﺬ‬

‫ﻞ ﻟ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻬ‬‫ﻧ‬ ‫و‬

“Allah has promised you abundant spoils (of war) which you will attain and He has
hastened for you this (booty of Khaybar).” [Surah Fatah 20]
As he was returning from Hudaybiyyah, Surah Fatah was revealed upon Rasulullah
. In this Surah Allah Ta’ala assured the Muslims in general and the
people of the pledge in particular that they will be triumphant in a number of
battles and they will capture enormous spoils of war. As an immediate reward for
this pledge that they had taken, Allah Ta’ala had bestowed upon them victory over
Khaybar and the conquest of Makkah, which they had not as yet acquired, but
would acquire soon. In future they would surmount a number of victories, the
knowledge of which only Allah Ta’ala has. In this verse ‘He has hastened for you
this’ the reference is to the conquest of Khaybar. Similarly, in the previous verse,
‘And He rewarded them with a near victory.’ This near victory refers to the
conquest of Khaybar.
Rasulullah  returned from Hudaybiyyah to Madinah where he
remained for Zul-Hijjah and the beginning of Muharram. During this period,
Rasulullah  was commanded to launch an attack against Khaybar where
the treacherous Jews resided who had betrayed the Muslims by inciting the
disbelievers of Makkah against them in the battle of Khandaq (trench). Allah Ta’ala
also informed Rasulullah  that upon hearing of the imminent conquest of
Khaybar, the hypocrites too would eagerly implore him to allow them to
accompany him on this expedition. Allah Ta’ala commanded Rasulullah :
“Never! These people should never accompany you on this journey.” The following
verse was revealed in this regard:
437
ۡ ْ
ۡ
‫ ﻳﺮﻳ ۡ ﺪ ۡون ان ﻳ ﺒ ﺪﻟ ۡﻮا‬N‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
ْ
‫ﺧ ﺬ ۡو ﻫﺎ ذر ۡوﻧﺎ ﻧ ﺘﺒﻌ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺎﻧ‬‫ﻐ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ٰ ‫ﺳﻴﻘ ۡﻮل اﻟﻤﺨ ﻠﻔ ۡﻮن اذا اﻧ ۡﻄﻠ ْﻘﺘ ْﻢ ا‬

ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ‫ﻞ ﻟ ۡﻦ ﺗﺘﺒﻌ ۡﻮﻧﺎ ﻛ ٰﺬﻟ‬ ۡ
‫ﻛﺎﻧ ۡﻮا ﻻ‬ ۡ ۡ
‫ ﺑﻞ‬MN‫ ﻓ ﺴ ﻴ ﻘﻮﻟﻮ ن ﺑﻞ ﺗﺤ ﺴ ﺪوﻧ ﻨﺎ‬N‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺎل اﷲ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒ‬ ‫ﻜﻢ ﻗ‬
ٰ
‫ ﻗ‬MN‫ﻛﻠ ﻢ اﷲ‬
ً ْ
﴾۱۵﴿ ‫ﻳﻔ ﻘ ﻬ ۡﻮن ا ﻻ ﻗﻠ ۡﻴﻼ‬

“Those who lagged behind (in the expedition of Hudaybiyyah) will say when you set
forth to seize the spoils (of Khaybar): ‘Allow us to follow you.’ They wish to alter the
word (and promise) of Allah. Say: ‘You will never ever be able to follow us, Allah
has decreed this beforehand.’ Then they will say: ‘Nay, you are jealous of us (and
you do not wish to include us in the spoils of war, whereas such a notion is
ridiculous. The hearts of the Sahaabah  were absolutely devoid of jealousy
and greed.)’ But these people (the critics) do not understand except very little.”
[Surah Fatah verse 15]
Those great personalities before whom the contents of the whole world were not
even equal to the wing of a mosquito, the mere thought of them harbouring
jealousy is the ultimate in stupidity and foolishness.
Following a short stay in Madinah Munawwarah, Rasulullah  set out
for Khaybar with fourteen hundred infantry and two hundred cavalry towards the
end of Muharram 7 A.H. From the pure wives, Hadhrat Umme Salamah 
accompanied him on this expedition.
Salamah bin Akw‘a  relates: “On the night we set out for Khaybar in the
company of Rasulullah , the celebrated poet ‘Aamir bin Akw‘a 
was ahead of us reciting the following pieces of rhyming poetry:
َّ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ‫ اَن‬Oَ ‫ا َ ّٰلله َّم ل َ ۡو‬
‫ َصل ۡينَا‬O‫ ت َص َّدق َنا َو‬O‫َو‬ ‫ت َما اه َت َد ۡي َنا‬
“O Allah! If it were not for You we would not have been divinely guided, neither
would we have distributed alms nor performed a single Salaah.
ََ ً ۡ َ ‫َوا َ ۡلق‬
‫ِي َسك ِۡي َنة عل ۡي َنا‬ ً
‫فداء لك ما اتقينا‬ ۡ َ‫ف‬
‫اغفر‬
We are sacrificed upon You, O Allah! Forgive us for shunning aside Your
commandments and blanket us with Your special tranquillity (so that the hearts
may be consoled and comforted and all forms of distress and anguish is eliminated
from the heart).
ََ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َۡۡ َّ َ
‫ا ِنا اذا صِ ۡي َح بِنَا ات ۡينَا‬ ‫ ق ۡي َنا‬O ‫ام ا ِن‬‫قد‬O‫ت ا‬
ِ ِ‫وثب‬
Grant us steadfastness when we confront the enemy. When we are summoned to
war we are swift to respond to the call of Jihaad.
Chapter 21 439
ََ ّ
‫عولوا عل ۡي َنا‬ ّ
ِ ‫الص َي‬
‫اح‬ ِ ِ ‫َوب‬
And with this cry of war they are wailing in lament.
َ ً ۡ ُ َ َ ََ َ َ َّ َّ
‫ا ِذا ا َراد ۡوا ف ِت َنة ابَ ۡي َنا‬ ‫ا ِن ال ِۡي َن ق ۡد َبغ ۡوا عل ۡي َنا‬
Those who have transgressed against us, if they elect to ensnare us with the
temptations of disbelief and polytheism, we will certainly not budge.
ۡ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َۡ َ
‫اس َتغ َن ۡي َنا‬ ‫ونن عن فضلِك ما‬
And we, O our Lord, are not independent of Your grace and favour.”
Rasulullah  asked: “Who is this reciting this rhyming poetry.” When the
people informed him that it was ‘Aamir bin Akw‘a, he commented: “May Allah
shower him with His special mercy.” According to the narration of Musnad
Ahmad, Rasulullah  said: “May Allah forgive him.” Whenever Rasulullah
 made an exclusive dua of forgiveness in favour of someone, that person
would soon die as a martyr. This is why Hadhrat ‘Umar  pleaded: “Jannah is
compulsory for him. If only you allowed us to take advantage of ‘Aamir’s bravery
and valour for a few more days.”
En route to Khaybar, as Rasulullah  reached a hillock, the Sahaabah
 raised their voices in saying the Takbeer (of Allahu Akbar). To this
Rasulullah  commented: “Have pity upon yourselves. You are not calling
out to a Being Who is deaf or absent. You are addressing a Being Who is close by
and omnipresent. (So you do not have to shout like this.)”
Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash’ari  relates: “I was close to the camel of
Rasulullah  when he heard me reciting Laa Hawla wa laa Quwwata Illaa
Billah. He called: ‘O ‘Abdullah bin Qays!’ I promptly responded: ‘I am at your
service O Rasulullah!’ Rasulullah  asked: ‘Should I not reveal to you the
treasures of Jannah?’ I replied: ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, surely, why
not O Rasulullah!’ Rasulullah  revealed: ‘Laa Hawla wa laa Quwwata
Illaa Billah.’ In other words, these words are the treasures of Jannah.”
Since Rasulullah  was aware that the Jews of the Ghitfaan tribe had
amassed a combat-ready force to assist the Jews of Khaybar, he camped at a place
called Raj‘i situated between Khaybar and Ghitfaan. He did this to instil a bit of
awe within the Jews of Ghitfaan so that they do not rush to the aid of the Jews of
Khaybar. Consequently, when the Jews of Ghitfaan heard that they themselves
were in danger, they turned back swiftly.
As they drew closer to Khaybar, Rasulullah  bade the Sahaabah
 to hold on and he made the following dua:
‫ ورب‬،‫رضي وما اقللن‬O‫ ورب ا‬:‫اللهم رب السموت وما اظللن‬

‫ فانا نسألك خي هذه‬،‫ ورب الرياح وما اذرين‬،‫الشياطي وما اضللن‬
‫القرية وخي اهلها وخي ما فيها و نعوذ بك من شها وش اهلها و‬
ّٰ
4‫ اقدموا بسم ا‬.‫ش ما فيها‬
“O Allah, the Lord of the skies and the Lord of whatever they shelter, O Lord of the
earths and Lord of whatever they bear, O Lord of the Shayaateen and Lord of
whatever misguidance they had perpetrated, Lord of the winds and Lord of
whatever they disperse! We beg of You for the best of this locality and the best of its
inhabitants and the best of whatever is within it and we seek Your refuge from its
evils, from the evils of its inhabitants and the evils within it.”
Saying this dua, Rasulullah  directed the Sahaabah : “Advance in
the name of Allah!”
It was a noble habit of Rasulullah  to recite this dua on entering a
locality.
Hadhrat Anas  narrates: “Rasulullah  reached Khaybar at
night. It was his gracious habit not to launch an offensive at night. He would wait
until the morning. If he heard the Azaan, he would not attack otherwise he would
launch an attack. In keeping with this noble Sunnah, even at Khaybar, Rasulullah
 waited for the Azaan of Fajr. When he failed to hear the Azaan of Fajr,
he made preparations to attack. The moment dawn broke out, the Jews, clutching
their picks and shovels, set out to work (on their fields). As they laid eyes on the
invading army, they exclaimed in horror: “Muhammad and the Khamis.
(Muhammad and his whole army is here).”
Khamis is derived from the word Khams that literally means five. Since the
army is made up of five divisions, the army as a unit is referred to as Khamis. The
arrangement of the army is as follows: the vanguard, the right wing, the left wing,
the mainstay and finally the rear guard.
On catching sight of these people, Rasulullah  raised his hands in
dua:
ّٰ
‫ اكب ! خربت خيب انا اذا نزلا بساحة قوم فساء صباح‬4‫ا‬
‫المنذرين‬
“Allah is great. Khaybar is devastated. Verily when we descend in the courtyard (in
the midst) of a nation then dreadful is the morning of those who had been warned.”
Chapter 21 441
The moment the Jews got wind of Rasulullah , they retreated into their
fortresses with their wives and children. Rasulullah  launched successive
attacks against these fortresses and conquered them one after the other.
These fortresses were as follows:
(1) Na‘im Fort

The first fort that the Muslims conquered in this battle was Na‘im Fort. Mahmud
bin Maslamah  was standing at the foot of the fort when the Jews dropped a
millstone onto him, thus rendering him a martyr.
(2) Qamus Fort

Following their triumph over Na‘im fort, the Qamus fort was conquered. This was
one of the most fortified forts of Khaybar. When the Muslims laid siege to this fort,
Rasulullah  was unable to personally proceed to the battlefield as he was
suffering from a severe migraine. Thus he offered the battle-ensign to Hadhrat Abu
Bakr Siddeeq . In spite of his unwavering efforts, he was unable to conquer
the fort and he returned. The following day, Rasulullah  handed over the
ensign to Hadhrat ‘Umar  and sent him off to battle. He too fought with
unyielding determination but he too returned without overcoming the fort.
On that day Rasulullah  revealed: “Tomorrow I will hand over this
flag to a person who loves Allah and His Rasool and Allah and His Rasool also love
him and at his hands this fort will be conquered.”
Every person was eagerly waiting to see who is blessed with this boon. They
passed the whole night in enthusiastic anticipation and vibrant zeal. The next
morning Rasulullah  summoned Hadhrat Ali . At that time he was
suffering from an infection of the eyes. Rasulullah  applied his blessed
saliva to his eyes and recited a dua. Without delay he was cured as though nothing
had afflicted his eyes. Rasulullah  handed over the flag to him saying:
“Before engaging them in battle, invite them towards Islam. Enlighten them about
the divine rights of Allah. I swear by Allah, if Allah guides just one person through
you, it is far better for you than red camels.” Holding the standard aloft, Hadhrat
Ali  set out and eventually the fort was conquered at his hands.
One of the most celebrated heroes of the Jews, Murahhib, strutted out onto the
battlefield and pompously recited the following rhyme:
‫ح بطل مرب‬K‫شاك الس‬ ‫قد علمت خيب ان مرحب‬

“The citizens of Khaybar are well aware that I am Murahhib, bristling in arms,
heroic and a veteran (of war).”
In response, Hadhrat ‘Aamir bin Akw‘a  stepped out to challenge him whilst
reciting the following rhyme:
‫ح بطل مغامر‬K‫شاك الس‬ ‫قد علمت خيبان عمر‬

“The citizens of Khaybar are well aware that I am ‘Aamir, bristling in arms, heroic
and reckless.”
Hadhrat ‘Aamir  was about to strike him on his leg when the sword twisted
back onto his own knee causing a fatal wound. He subsequently passed away at
Khaybar.
Hadhrat Salamah bin Akw‘a  (his brother) narrates: “On our return from
this battle, Rasulullah  noticed that I was awfully disheartened and when
he enquired the reason, I replied: ‘O Rasulullah! People are claiming that all
‘Aamir’s good deeds are in vain because he died with his own sword.’ Rasulullah
 remarked: ‘Whoever said this is mistaken. He was an outstanding
warrior.’ Thereafter, gesturing with his two fingers, Rasulullah  said: ‘He
will get a twofold reward.’ Rasulullah  said that he is a martyr and he
also performed his Janaazah Salaah. “
Following this tragic incident with ‘Aamir , Hadhrat Ali  strode
out onto the battlefield and in response to Murahhib’s bragging poetry, Hadhrat Ali
 responded with the following couplet as he appeared to take him on:
َ َۡ ُ ۡ ۡ َّ َ ََ
‫بات كريه المنظره‬
ٍ ‫غ‬ ‫ث‬ِ ‫كي‬ ‫ن ا ّم حيدره‬ِ ‫ت‬‫م‬ ‫س‬ ‫الي‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ان‬
“I am the man who was named Haydar (lion) by his mother. I am as terrifying as
the predatory lions of the jungles.”
As Hadhrat Ali  was busy reciting these verses, he struck Murahhib with
such a lethal blow of the sword that split his head into two. Subsequently, the fort
was captured.
Thereafter, Murahhib’s brother Yaasir decided to step forth onto the
battlefield. From this end, Hadhrat Zubair  stepped out and promptly finished
him off.
This fort was conquered at the hands of Hadhrat Ali  after a siege of
twenty days. Apart from the war booty, a number of people were taken captive.
Amongst the captives was Hadhrat Safiyyah bint Huyayy bin Akhtab , the
daughter of the chief of Banu Nazeer and the wife of Kinaanah bin Rab’i.
Hadhrat Safiyyah  and her two cousins (father’s brother’s daughters)
were captured from this Qamus fort. Further details will be discussed later. Hadhrat
Safiyyah’s husband’s name was Kinaanah bin Rab’i who was also killed in this
battle.
Chapter 21 443
(3) S‘ab bin Mu’aaz Fort

Following the Muslims victory over the Qamus fort, the S‘ab bin Mu’aaz fort was
conquered. A huge supply of grain, fat and other consumables were stockpiled
within this fort. All this fell into the hands of the Muslims.
The Muslims suffered an acute shortage of provisions and they requested
Rasulullah  to make dua for them. The day after he made dua for them,
S‘ab bin Mu’aaz fort was conquered. This netted the Muslims an abundance of
essential provisions providing them with much needed support in their campaign.
On the same day, Rasulullah  witnessed a number of fires burning
all around him. When he enquired about this, the people informed him that they
were cooking meat. “What type of meat is it?” he asked. They replied: “It is the
flesh of domesticated asses.” Rasulullah  remarked: “It is Najis (unclean).
Dispose of it and break the utensils as well.” Someone enquired: “O Rasulullah! If
we just dispose of the flesh but wash the utensils (and use them), will this be
permitted?” He replied: “Okay, wash the utensils (and use them).”
(4) Qullah Fort

Thereafter the Jews sought refuge in Qullah fort. This was also a well-fortified and
well-protected fort. It was built right on the peak of a mountain, hence the name
Qullah fort. The word Qullah literally means ‘mountain-top or summit’. This fort
was subsequently referred to as Zubair Fort because it fell into the share of Hadhrat
Zubair  when the spoils of war were distributed amongst the Muslims.
For three days Rasulullah  laid siege to this fort. In an unanticipated
turn of good fortune, a Jew appeared before Rasulullah  and said: “O
Abul-Qaasim! Even if you had to isolate these people for a whole month it would
not affect them in the least. They have water springs flowing beneath them. They
come out at night, fill up their containers and quickly retreat into the fort. If you
cut off their water supply, you will be able to succeed.”
Rasulullah  managed to cut off their water supply. They were forced
to emerge from the fort. A fierce battle ensued in which ten Jews were killed and a
few Muslims were also martyred but the fort was conquered.
This Qullah Fort was the last fort to be conquered in the area of Natat.
Thereafter Rasulullah  pressed on to the forts of Shaqq. Following an
intense battle, the first fort to fall in this area was the fort of Ubayy. The Muslims
occupied the fort. Thereafter, Rasulullah  advanced to the other forts of
the area.
(5) Watih and Salalim

Subsequent to his success on the aforementioned fort, Rasulullah  pushed
ahead to the other forts of the area. Only when all the other forts were occupied,
Rasulullah  finally proceeded to Watih and Salalim. Some narrations
mention the Kaytabah fort as well. The Muslims now occupied all the other forts.
These two forts were left. The Jews applied all their energies to these last two
remaining forts. The Jews, fleeing from the surrounding areas, all sought refuge in
these forts. Following a siege of fourteen days, the Jews were desperately driven to
plead for a truce. Rasulullah  accepted their plea. The Jews appointed Ibn
Abul-Haqiq as their spokesperson to discuss the terms of the truce. Ultimately,
Rasulullah  spared them on condition that they immediately vacate the
area and go into exile and that they leave behind their gold, silver, arms and other
implements of war. He also warned them not to conceal anything and carry it
away. He also cautioned them that if they violate any of these conditions, Allah
and His Rasool were free of any responsibility.
However, in spite of their pledge and assurance, the Jews failed to refrain from
their mischief. They somehow managed to hide away a leather bag belonging to
Huyayy bin Akhtab. This bag contained all their jewellery. Rasulullah 
summoned Kinaanah bin Rab’i and asked him about the bag. He replied that it was
used up in the battles. Rasulullah  remarked: “Not much time has passed
and the value of that wealth was enormous.” Rasulullah  warned them:
“If this bag happens to turn up, none of you will be safe.” Saying this, Rasulullah
 instructed an Ansaari to go to a certain tree in a certain area and dig out
this bag from its roots. The Sahaabi went and unearthed this bag. The value of its
contents was about ten thousand Dinaars (gold coins). These people were executed
for this crime. One of the culprits was the husband of Hadhrat Safiyyah ,
Kinaanah bin Rab’i bin Abil-Haqiq.
Moreover, Kinaanah was also guilty of the murder of the brother of
Muhammad bin Maslamah, Mahmud bin Maslamah, who was killed in this very
battle. For this reason Rasulullah  handed over Kinaanah to Muhammad
bin Maslamah  so that he may execute Kinaanah in revenge of the death of
his brother.
Conquest of Fadak
When the Jews of Fadak learnt that the Jews of Khaybar surrendered and entered
into a truce with the aforementioned conditions, they too sent a message to
Rasulullah  pleading with him to spare their lives and in exchange they
offered to leave behind all their wealth and go into voluntary exile. Rasulullah
 accepted this offer. The terms of this treaty were discussed through the
Chapter 21 445
representation of Muhayyasah bin Mas’ood. Since Fadak was taken over without
any military intervention or offensive, neither the cavalry nor the infantry was
required. The entire area of Fadak was left to the absolute control and ‘right of use’
of Rasulullah . Unlike Khaybar, these lands were not distributed amongst
the Mujaahideen.
Note: In this campaign, either fourteen or fifteen Muslims were martyred and
ninety-three disbelievers were killed. Following this successful campaign, when the
spoils of war and captives were drawn together, Hadhrat Safiyyah bint Huyayy bin
Akhtab  was also amongst them. She had just recently married Kinaanah bin
Rab’i.
Huyayy bin Akhtab was a descendant of Hadhrat Haroon . As the
captives were being escorted after the battle, Hadhrat Dihyaa  submitted: “O
Rasulullah! Grant me a slave girl.” Rasulullah  replied: “You have a
choice. Select whichever slave girl you fancy.” Hadhrat Dihyaa  chose
Hadhrat Safiyyah . To this the Sahaabah  remarked: “O Rasulullah!
This is the daughter of their leader. She is most appropriate for you.” Hence
Rasulullah  repossessed her and granted him Hadhrat Safiyyah’s cousin
in exchange of her. Thereafter, Rasulullah  set Hadhrat Safiyyah 
free and married her.
A detailed account of Hadhrat Safiyyah’s nikah will be mentioned under the
chapter dealing with the Azwaaj Mutahharaat (pure wives of Rasulullah
). Just as Rasulullah  conducted himself with Hadhrat
Juwayriyyah  in the expedition of Banu Mustalaq in keeping with her family
honour and nobility, similarly, on this occasion, in keeping with Hadhrat
Safiyyah’s  noble lineage and the fact that she was a descendant of Hadhrat
Haroon , Rasulullah  set her free and married her.
An Attempt to Poison Rasulullah 
After the conquest of Khaybar, Rasulullah  stayed on for a few days

more at Khaybar. During this period, Zaynab bint Haaris, the wife of Salaam bin
Mushkim, presented to Rasulullah  a gift of a grilled goat seeped in
deadly poison. The moment he tasted it, Rasulullah  held his hand back.
However, Bishr bin Baraa bin M‘arur , who was seated with Rasulullah
, consumed part of it. Rasulullah  cautioned: “Hold it. This goat
is steeped in poison.”
Rasulullah  summoned Zaynab and asked her the reason for this
heinous deed. She confessed: “Yes, the meat was poisoned because if you are truly a
divine Messenger, Allah Ta’ala would surely notify you about it and if you are a
false Messenger then the people would be released from you.”
Since Rasulullah  never sought revenge for any loss or injury caused
to his personal self, he released her. However, when Bishr bin Baraa bin M‘arur
 passed away with this poison, Rasulullah  handed her over to
Bishr’s heirs. They executed her in retaliation for the murder of Bishr.
Mukhaabarah – Sharecropping
When the lands of Khaybar were conquered and the lands fell into the lot of Allah,
His Rasool  and the Muslims, Rasulullah  intended to banish
the Jews from Khaybar (as per their agreement). However, the Jews begged
Rasulullah  to allow them to stay on condition that they would cultivate
the land and pay half the harvest to Rasulullah . Rasulullah 
accepted this condition but also added:
‫نقركم < ذلك ماشئنا‬

“We will allow you to stay on as long as we wish.”
Since such a sharecropping agreement was concluded for the very first time in
Khaybar, such sharecropping agreements are referred to as Mukhaabarah.
Whenever the occasion for harvest and distribution drew close, Rasulullah
 would send Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  to determine an
estimate of the crops.
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  would divide the entire harvest into
two equal parts and invite them to take whichever one of the two parts they
preferred. On witnessing this level of fairness, the Jews would say: “It is due to this
level of justice and fairness that the skies and earth are still standing.” In another
narration it is mentioned that Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  would
reply:
ّٰ
< ‫ وكذبتم‬4‫يا معش الهود ! انتم ابغض اللق ا¯ قتلتم انبياء ا‬
ّٰ
‫ وليس يملن بغض اياكم ان احيف عليكم‬4‫ا‬
“O Jews! You are the most despicable of Allah’s creation in my eyes because you
murdered a number of Prophets and attributed falsehood unto Allah. However, this
revulsion that I harbour for you would never drive me to be unfair to you.”
Chapter 21 447
The Arrival of Abu Hurayrah 
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah  and a few of his companions appeared before

Rasulullah  after the conquest of Khaybar. However, Rasulullah
 did not allocate a share for them from the war booty.
Return of the Orchards of the Ansaar

When the Muhaajireen migrated to Madinah in the early days, the Ansaar, forever
eager to provide assistance, temporarily offered some of their lands and orchards to
the Muhaajireen in a bid to provide a source of mutual benefit to both, the donor as
well as the donee.
However, following their triumph at Khaybar, the Muhaajireen were now
rendered self-reliant. Therefore they returned these lands and orchards to their
respective owners. Hadhrat Anas’s  mother, Hadhrat Umme Sulaim 
had also awarded Rasulullah  the benefits of a few trees. Rasulullah
 assigned these trees to his wet nurse Umme Ayman  who was
also the mother of Hadhrat Usaamah bin Zaid .
When the Muhaajireen returned the trees of the Ansaar, Hadhrat Umme
Sulaim  also requested the return of her trees from Rasulullah .
These trees were already assigned to Hadhrat Umme Ayman . Rasulullah
 asked Umme Ayman  to return these trees of Umme Sulaim
. She refused and strapping a cloth to Anas’s  neck, she tugged the
cloth and said: “By Allah! I will never return these trees.”
Since Umme Ayman  was the wet nurse of Rasulullah  and
also a slave girl of his father, Rasulullah  did not wish to disappoint
Umme Ayman  in any way. Rasulullah  said: “O Umme Ayman!
Return these trees and take some other trees in exchange.” Rasulullah 
continued exhorting her in this manner but she only agreed to return these trees
when Rasulullah  promised to give her ten trees from his personal
property in exchange of each one of these trees. In view of her rights of upbringing
and nurturing, Rasulullah  conducted himself in this indulgent manner
with her.
Prohibitions at Khaybar
At Khaybar, Rasulullah  issued a few prohibitions. These included:
1. Prohibition of the meat of domesticated donkeys.

2. Rasulullah  forbade the sale of any share of the war booty before its
actual distribution.
3. He forbade the use of (raw) garlic and
4. He endorsed the consumption of horseflesh. (The Ulama hold conflicting
opinions on this issue.)
Return of the Emigrants from Abyssinia

When the emigrants, who migrated from Makkah to Abyssinia, learnt that
Rasulullah  had left Makkah and migrated to Madinah Munawwarah,
most of them also left Abyssinia for Madinah Munawwarah. Hadhrat ‘Abdullah
bin Mas’ood  arrived in Madinah just when Rasulullah  was
making frantic preparation for the expedition of Badr.
Hadhrat Ja’far  and his fifteen companions turned up in Madinah on the
day Khaybar was conquered. Rasulullah  embraced Ja’far  and
kissed him on his cheek. He then remarked: “I wonder what gives me more joy; the
conquest of Khaybar or the arrival of Ja’far.”
Abu Musa Ash’ari  (who was also one of Ja’far’s  companions)
narrates: “We turned up before Rasulullah  just as he had conquered
Khaybar. He awarded us a share of the spoils of Khaybar as well. Apart from us,
those who did not participate in the campaign of Khaybar were not awarded any
share of the booty.”
Conquest of Wadil-Quraa and Tayma

After Khaybar, Rasulullah  proceeded to Wadil-Quraa. Following a four-
day siege, it fell to the Muslims. On this occasion, Rasulullah’s  slave,
Mid‘am was fatally struck by a stray arrow whilst he was busy taking down the
camel-carriage of Rasulullah . The people commented: “May his
martyrdom be blessed.” Rasulullah  retorted: “Never! By Allah! The sheet
he usurped from the war booty will turn to fire and burn him.” When another man
heard of this, he appeared before Rasulullah  with a shoelace. Rasulullah
Chapter 21 449
 remarked: “Even a shoelace (acquired dishonestly) is of the fire of

Jahannam.”
When the people of Tayma heard of the fall of Wadil-Quraa, they surrendered
and signed a peace treaty with Rasulullah  promising to pay Jizyah.
Return Journey and the incident of Laylatut-T‘aris

Thereafter Rasulullah  returned to Madinah Munawwarah. On his way,
Rasulullah  dismounted to rest in one of the valleys during the latter part
of the night. Coincidently, not one of their eyes opened until the sun had already
turned bright in the sky. Rasulullah  was the first to awaken and in a
state of utter unease, he got to his feet, roused the Sahaabah  and ordered
them to head off from this valley without delay because of the overpowering
influence of shaytaan there.
They moved out of the valley and alighted at a spot further on. Rasulullah
 directed Hadhrat Bilal  to call out the Azaan. After performing
wudhu, Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah  offered two Rakaat of Fajr
Sunnats. Thereafter, Hadhrat Bilal  called out the Iqaamah and the Qadhaa
Salaah of Fajr was performed with Jamaat.
Consummation of Marriage with Umme Habibah 
During the same year, Hadhrat Umme Habibah , the daughter of Abu
Sufyaan, returned from Abyssinia to Madinah Munawwarah. Rasulullah 
married her through the good offices of Negus, the emperor of Abyssinia. Further
details of this Nikah will, Insha Allah, be discussed in the chapter dealing with the
pure wives of Rasulullah .
‘Umratul-Qadaa – Zul Q‘adah 7 A.H.

According to the terms of the Hudaybiyyah truce, the Muslims would return home
that year without performing Umrah and the Quraysh had pledged to allow them
to perform Umrah the forthcoming year provided they return home within three
days. This is why, upon observing the crescent of Zul Q‘adah, Rasulullah 
instructed the Sahaabah  to set out to perform Qadaa of this Umrah which
the disbelievers had blocked them from performing at Hudaybiyyah. He also added
that none of those who participated at Hudaybiyyah should be left out. Thus, apart
from those who had been martyred or passed on in the interim, not one of the
participants of Hudaybiyyah remained behind.
Thus, in the company of two thousand people, Rasulullah  set out

for Makkah Mukarramah. Seventy sacrificial camels also accompanied Rasulullah
 on this journey. On reaching Zul-Hulayfah, Rasulullah  and
the Sahaabah  entered the Musjid in the state of Ihraam. Thereafter,
chanting Labbayk, they set out towards Makkah. As a precautionary measure, they
carried their weapons with them but since one of the conditions of the treaty of
Hudaybiyyah was that they would come unarmed, they left their weapons in the
valley of Yaajuj, which is approximately eight miles from Makkah Mukarramah.
Rasulullah  also left behind a contingent of two hundred men to guard
these weapons. Saying the Talbiyah, Rasulullah , in the company of his
beloved companions advanced towards the Haram.
During this period, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah , clutching the
bridle of Rasulullah’s  camel Qaswaa, was striding ahead whilst reciting
the following couplets:
ۡ َ ۡ ٰ ۡ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ّ
‫ن ۡيلِه‬
ِ ‫قد انزل الرحن ِف ت‬ ‫خلوا بن الكفار عن سبيله‬
“O children of disbelievers! Get out of his (Rasulullah ’s) way.
Allah Ta’ala had commanded in His book that
َ
‫بان خي القتل ف سبيله نن قتلنا كم < تاويله ك َما‬
َۡ ۡ َ
‫ق َتل َناكم < تنِ ۡيلِه‬
the supreme form of death is martyrdom in His path. We engaged you in battle
because you refused to adhere to His divine commandment just as we engaged you
in battle for refusing to believe in the divine scripture of Allah.”
‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  also added the following words:
ۡ َ
‫ض ًبا يزيل الهام عن مقيله‬ ‫الوم نـضبكم < تنيله‬
“Today, in accordance with His divine command, we will smite you with such force
that would sever your head from your body.
‫يا رب ان م ٔومن بقيله‬ ‫ويذهل الليل عن خليله‬

And it would make a friend negligent of his friend. O Allah! I earnestly believe in
his statements.”
According to Ibn Ishaaq’s  narration, he said:
‫ان رايت الق ف قبول‬ ‫يارب ان م ٔومن بقيله‬

Chapter 21 451
‘O Allah! I earnestly believe in his statements and I regard its acceptance as the sole
truth.”
Upon the recitation of this poetry, ‘Umar  chided: “O Ibn Rawaahah! You
have the audacity to recite poetry in the presence of Rasulullah  and in
the very precincts of the Haram of Allah?” To this, Rasulullah 
commented: “O ‘Umar! Let it go. These poetical statements are more punishing to
the disbelievers than letting loose a volley of arrows upon them.”
According to Ibn S‘ad‘s  narration, Rasulullah  remarked: “O
‘Umar! I am listening to what he says.” He then instructed ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah
 to recite the following:
ُ‫اب َو ۡح َده‬ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َّ ٰ َ
َ ‫ ۡح َز‬O‫ا‬ ‫ وهزم‬،‫ نص عبده واعز جنده‬،‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬Oِ ‫ ا ِل ا‬O
“There is none worthy of worship besides Allah Who is alone. He assisted His
servant, He honoured His army and defeated the confederates all alone.”
The Sahaabah  also joined ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  in reciting this
sentence. In this imposing manner, they entered Makkah, performed Tawaaf, made
Sa‘ee between Safa and Marwah, slaughtered their animals and became Halaal
from their Ihraam. Thereafter, Rasulullah  directed some of them to
return to the valley of Yaajuj (where the weapons were kept) and to relieve those
who were assigned to protect these weapons so that they may come and perform
Tawaaf and Sa‘ee. Saying this, Rasulullah  entered the K‘abah and
remained therein until Zuhr. As per Rasulullah’s  instructions, Hadhrat
Bilal  called out the Zuhr Azaan on the roof of the K‘abah.
Although the Quraysh, as per the terms of the truce, consented to Rasulullah
 performing Tawaaf but due to their intense fury and acute jealousy they
were unable to withstand this spectacle. This is why the leaders of Quraysh and
their noblemen left Makkah Mukarramah and retreated to the mountains.
Nikah with Maymunah 
Rasulullah  stayed on for three days at Makkah and married Hadhrat

Maymunah bint Haaris . On the expiry of the three days, the Quraysh sent a
delegation to Rasulullah  reminding him that his time was up and he
should leave. Rasulullah  said: “If you allow me a bit more time, I would
arrange a Walimah feast for Maymunah bint Haaris here in Makkah.” With
heartless enmity they retorted: “We do not need your feast and Walimah here. Just
get out of here.”
Rasulullah  instructed the Sahaabah  to leave without delay.

Rasulullah  left his slave Abu Raaf‘i with Hadhrat Maymoonah .
He brought her to a place called Sarif where Rasulullah  consummated
the marriage. He then departed and arrived at Madinah in the month of Zul-Hijjah.
Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse on this occasion:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ‫ اﻟﺮ‬u‫ﻟﻘ ْﺪ ﺻﺪق اﷲ رﺳ ۡﻮ‬
‫ﻦ اﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺠ ﺪ اﻟﺤﺮام ان‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ﺪ‬ ‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻖ‬ ‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﺎﻟ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ‬‫ء‬

‫ ﻓﻌﻠﻢ‬M ‫ﺨﺎﻓ ۡﻮن‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ º ‫ﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ ﻣﺤﻠﻘ ۡﲔ رء ۡوﺳﻜ ْﻢ و ﻣﻘﺼﺮﻳ‬º ‫ﺷﺂء اﷲ ٰاﻣﻨ ۡﲔ‬

﴾۲۷﴿ ‫ﺤﺎ ﻗﺮﻳ ۡ ًﺒﺎ‬ً ‫ﻣﺎ ﻟ ْﻢ ﺗ ْﻌﻠﻤ ۡﻮا ﻓﺠﻌﻞ ﻣ ۡﻦ د ۡون ٰذﻟﻚ ﻓ ْﺘ‬

“Indeed Allah has fulfilled the true vision (dream) of His Messenger. You will enter
Masjidul-Haraam, if Allah wills, safe, (some) of you with shaved heads and (some)
of you with your hair cut short, having no fear. He (Allah) knows what you do not
know and besides that, He granted a near victory.” [Surah Fatah verse 27]
As Rasulullah  was leaving Makkah on the completion of ‘Umratul-
Qadhaa, the young daughter of Hadhrat Hamzah  ran behind him shouting:
“Uncle ! Uncle!” Immediately, Hadhrat Ali  lifted her up (onto his camel).
Now a dispute broke out between Hadhrat Ali, Hadhrat Ja’far and Hadhrat Zaid
bin Haarisah. Each one of them aspired to take her into his care. Hadhrat Ali 
declared: “This is the daughter of my uncle (she is my cousin) and I have already
picked her up.” Hadhrat Ja’far  argued: “She is the daughter of my uncle too
and moreover, her maternal aunt is married to me.” Hadhrat Zaid  said: “She
is the daughter of my brother in Deen (religious brother).”
Ultimately, Rasulullah  passed judgement that the young girl should
live with her maternal aunt and proclaimed: “The maternal aunt (mother’s sister) is
like the mother.”
Expedition of Akhram bin Abil ‘Awjaa - Zul-Hijjah 7 A.H.

During the month of Zul-Hijjah, Rasulullah  sent Akhram  with
fifty men to the tribe of Banu Sulaim with the sole purpose of inviting them
towards Islam. The Banu Sulaim retorted: “We do not need your Islam.” They then
released a volley of arrows on this small group of Muslims killing them to the last
man. Only Akhram  managed to survive. Taking him for dead, they left him
alone. Due to his serious injuries, he was on the verge of death. He somehow
managed to survive and returned to Madinah on the first of Safar.
Chapter 21 453
Expedition of Ghaalib bin ‘Abdullah Laysi  - Safar 8 A.H.
During the month of Safar 8 A.H., Rasulullah  sent Hadhrat Ghaalib bin
‘Abdullah Laysi  with a group of men towards a place called Kadid to attack
the Banu Maluh tribe. The Sahaabah  reached there and launched a
nighttime attack against them. Seizing their camels, the Sahaabah  started
retreating towards Madinah. However a force of the Banu Maluh tribe gave chase
and as they were hot on the heels of the Muslims, Allah Ta’ala brought about such
torrential rain that filled the valley between the Muslims and disbelievers. As a
result, the disbelievers were unable to get through and the Muslims reached
Madinah safe and sound.
Other expeditions
Between the expeditions of Khaybar and Muta, Rasulullah  had
despatched a number of small contingents on other military campaigns.
Alhamdulillah, they all returned victorious.
Islam of Khaalid bin Waleed , ‘Usmaan bin Talhah 

and ‘Amr bin ‘Aas 
During this time, the legendary commander-in-chief of Islam Khaalid bin Waleed
 and the celebrated intellectual of the Arabs, ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  embraced
Islam. There is a difference of opinion as far as their actual date of embracing Islam
is concerned. Some maintain that they embraced Islam in the month of Safar 8 A.H
whilst others say it was after the expedition of Khaybar in 7 A.H.
Khaalid bin Waleed  narrates: “When Allah Ta’ala desired my welfare,
He infused the love of Islam into the fibres of my heart. Out of the blue I was
assailed by the thought that whenever I joined the ranks of the Quraysh in any
encounter against Rasulullah  and returned home, my heart would chide
and admonish me: ‘All of your efforts and undertakings are miserably hopeless and
ineffective and surely Muhammad  is bound to be triumphant.’
Consequently, on the occasion of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, I was amongst the
cavalry of the disbelievers of Makkah. I caught sight of Rasulullah  in
‘Asfaan leading the Sahaabah  in Salaatul-Khawf (Salaah performed under
threat from the enemy). I proposed to attack Rasulullah  whilst he was
engaged in Salaah but Rasulullah  was apprised of my intentions and I
was rendered incapable of launching an attack against him. At that instance, I
realised that this man is divinely protected and shielded by Allah Ta’ala and that
he is guarded by unseen forces. I thus returned empty-handed.
When Rasulullah  formed a pact with the Quraysh and returned to

Madinah, my heart was assailed with the conviction that the power and supremacy
of the Quraysh is now exhausted. The emperor of Abyssinia, Negus, has also
become the adherent of Rasulullah  and his companions are living in
Abyssinia in peace and tranquillity. Now the only option open to me is to seek
asylum with Hiraql, the Roman emperor, and convert to Judaism or Christianity
once I get there. I reasoned that I might as well live a defective life under the
‘Ajmis (non-Arabs). I also thought that I would hang on for a few more days in my
native land and see what is divulged from the unseen. I was hesitating between this
when Rasulullah  came to Makkah Mukarramah the following year to
perform ‘Umratul-Qadaa. I fled Makkah and went into hiding. When Rasulullah
 completed his Umrah, my brother Waleed bin Waleed, who was with
Rasulullah , searched for me but to no avail. My brother subsequently
wrote a letter to me as follows:
‘Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem. I have not witnessed anything as strange as your
aversion towards a religion as pure as Islam whereas you are a man of celebrated
intellectual abilities. For anyone to remain oblivious to the goodness of a faith like
Islam is awfully weird. Rasulullah  asked about you. He enquired from
me: ‘Where is Khaalid?’ I replied: ‘Allah Ta’ala will bring him soon.’ Rasulullah
 commented: ‘It is astounding that a man of renowned intelligence like
him would be ignorant of a pure religion like Islam.’ Rasulullah  further
added: ‘If Khaalid assists the true religion (of Islam) and joins the ranks of the
Muslims and combats the forces of evil, it would be far better for him and we would
give preference to him over others.’ So my dear brother! Avail yourself of the lost
opportunities because it is still possible to redress all that you have lost.’”

V+

V
F
“Time and tide waits for no man.”
Hadhrat Khaalid  relates: “When my brother’s letter reached me, it fuelled
my enthusiasm towards Islam and I developed a keen sense of excitement and
fervour towards Hijrah (migration to Madinah Munawwarah). Moreover, whatever
Rasulullah  commented in my regard, added to my happiness and joy.
During this period, I saw a dream; I was in a dreadfully cramped city afflicted by
drought. I abandoned this drought-stricken cramped city and fled to a lush and
spacious country. I thought to myself that this is a special dream shown to me to
admonish me.
Chapter 21 455
I went to Makkah and made preparations to travel to Madinah Munawwarah.

For this journey, I wanted at least one other travelling companion. I met with
Safwaan bin Umayyah and remarked: ‘Don’t you see that Muhammad 
has gained dominance over the Arabs and non-Arabs alike? If we go to
Muhammad  and conform to him, it would be far better for us.
Muhammad’s honour would be our honour.’ Safwaan vehemently rejected this and
retorted: ‘If on the whole earth not a single person remains to be followed except
Muhammad , then too I would not follow him.’ I said to myself: ‘This
man has lost a father and brother in the battle of Badr therefore I cannot pin my
hopes on him.’
Thereafter I met with ‘Ikramah bin Abi Jahal and I made the same proposal to
him that I made to Safwaan. ‘Ikramah retorted in the same manner as Safwaan and
refused to accompany me. I returned home and whilst I was busy preparing the
camel, I thought: ‘Why don’t I meet with ‘Usmaan bin Talhah, he is a faithful
friend of mine?’ However, I recalled the killing of his father and grandfather (at
Badr) and this cast me into a state of indecision. I was now undecided as to
whether I should approach him or not. Finally, I reflected that there is absolutely
no harm in me having a word with him and I made up my mind to go to him at
that very moment. Subsequently, I met with ‘Usmaan bin Talhah and put forward
the same proposal that I had put forward to Safwaan. ‘Usmaan bin Talhah
consented to my proposition and added: ‘I will also come to Madinah. Meet me at a
place called Yaajuj. If you happen to reach there first, wait for me and I will wait
for you if I happen to get there before you.’”
Khaalid bin Waleed  relates: “On the appointed day, I also set out for
Madinah and as planned, I met ‘Usmaan bin Talhah at Yaajuj. Early the next
morning, both of us set out for Madinah. When we reached a place called Haddah,
we met ‘Amr bin ‘Aas who was also on his way to Madinah to embrace Islam. On
catching sight of us, ‘Amr bin ‘Aas saluted us warmly and we also returned his
salutations and asked: ‘Where are you off to?’ He replied: ‘To enter the fold of
Islam and to adhere to Muhammad.’ We responded: ‘We have also come out for the
same reason.’”
Khaalid bin Waleed  continues: “In this manner, the three of us got
together and travelled towards Madinah. When we reached Harrah (just on the
outskirts of Madinah), we made our camels sit down (to rest). Someone conveyed
the news of our arrival to Rasulullah  who became extremely overjoyed.
Rasulullah  remarked: ‘Makkah has expelled the pieces of its liver (its
darlings).’”
Khaalid  relates: “I put on fine clothing and set out to meet Rasulullah
. On the way, I met my brother who cried: ‘Come quickly, Rasulullah
 has already heard of your arrival. He was elated to hear of you coming
and he eagerly awaits you.’ Very swiftly, we made our way to Rasulullah
. When he laid his eyes on me, Rasulullah  broke out in a smile.
I said: ‘Assalaamu ‘Alayka, Yaa Rasoolallah!’ He replied to my greeting with great

delight. I then submitted:
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ وان ممدا رسول ا‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫اشهد ان‬
‘I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammad
is the divine Messenger of Allah.’
To this, Rasulullah  replied: ‘Come close.’ He then commented as follows:
ّٰ
‫ يسلمك‬O ‫ رجوت ان‬K‫ الي هداك قد كنت ارى لك عق‬4 ‫المد‬
‫ ا¯ خي‬O‫إ‬
‘All praise is due to that Divine Being Who guided you towards Islam. I used to
think that you are a man of intellect and I would always hope that this intellect
would guide you towards goodness.’”
Hadhrat Khaalid  narrates: “I said: ‘O Rasulullah ! You used to also
witness me participating in wars against you and against the truth (and I am
awfully ashamed and terribly remorseful of this). I therefore beg you to make dua
that Allah Ta’ala forgives all my sins.’ Rasulullah  replied:
‫م يهدم ما كن قبله‬K‫س‬O‫ا‬
‘Embracing Islam obliterates everything that precedes it.’
I once again made the same request to Rasulullah , whereupon he made
the following dua for me:
ّٰ
4‫اللهم اغفر لال بن الولد ما اوضع فيه من صد عن سبيل ا‬
‘O Allah! Forgive all the sins of Khaalid bin Waleed which he had perpetrated in
hampering (people) from the path of Allah.’”
Hadhrat Khaalid  relates: “After me, ‘Usmaan bin Talhah and ‘Amr bin ‘Aas
went forward and took the pledge of allegiance at the blessed hand of Rasulullah
.”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas  narrates: “Following our appearance before Rasulullah
, Khaalid bin Waleed  took the pledge of allegiance first followed
by ‘Usmaan bin Talhah  and then I went forward to take this allegiance.
However, at that time my condition was such:
By Allah! I somehow managed to sit in the presence of Rasulullah  but I
was unable to raise my eyes towards him out of embarrassment and remorse.
Chapter 21 457
Eventually, I completed the pledge of allegiance at the blessed hands of Rasulullah

 and added: ‘I make this pledge on condition that my past sins be
forgiven.’ ‘Amr says: “At that moment, I just did not recall to ask forgiveness for my
future sins as well. I only remembered my past sins.”
Nonetheless, to this Rasulullah  replied: ‘Islam eliminates all the sins
perpetrated before Islam in a state of kufr. Likewise, Hijrah too eradicates all sins
preceding it.’”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas  says: “I swear by the Being Who does not perish that
from the time we accepted Islam, whenever a military campaign came up,
Rasulullah  did not treat anyone else as our equals.”
‘Amr bin ‘Aas  narrates: “Khaalid, ‘Usmaan and I appeared before
Rasulullah  in the opening days of the month of Safar 8 A.H. and
embraced Islam.”
Chapter 22
Expedition of Muta - Jumaadal-Ula 8 A.H.
Muta is the name of a place in the the region of Balqa. When Rasulullah 
issued written invitations to Islam to the kings and rulers of the world, he also
wrote to Shurahbeel bin ‘Amr Ghassaani. Shurahbeel was the viceroy of the Levant
on behalf of Qaysar, the Roman emperor. When Hadhrat Haaris bin ‘Umair 
reached Muta with Rasulullah’s  letter, Shurahbeel got him killed. For
this reason, Rasulullah  despatched a three-thousand-strong force
towards Muta in the month of Jumaadul-Ula 8 A.H.
Rasulullah  appointed Zaid bin Haarisah  as the Ameer
(leader) of the army and added: “If Zaid  is killed, Ja’far bin Abi Taalib 
will be the leader of the army and if Ja’far  is killed, ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah
 will be the leader and if ‘Abdullah  is killed too, the Muslims may
appoint as Ameer anyone they deem suitable.”
This is why this campaign is referred to as the expedition of the ‘army of the
leaders’.
Rasulullah  entrusted a white flag to Zaid bin Haarisah  and
instructed: “Go to the area in which Haaris bin ‘Umair was martyred and invite the
local inhabitants towards Islam. If they accept this invitation well and good
otherwise seek the divine assistance of Allah and engage them in Jihaad.”
Rasulullah  accompanied this army right up to Saniyatul-Wadaa to
bid them farewell. At Saniyatul-Wadaa, Rasulullah  halted a little while
and offered the following words of advice to the army: “At all times, bear in mind
Taqwa (Allah-consciousness) and righteousness. Always wish well for your
companions. Wage Jihaad in the path of Allah with the name of Allah against those
who disbelieve in Allah. Do not fall into deception nor be guilty of a breach of
trust. Do not ever kill a child, woman or elderly person.”
459
As Rasulullah  was bidding the leaders of this expedition farewell,

Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  burst out crying. When asked what made
him weep, he replied:
ّٰ
‫ صبابة بكم ولكن سمعت رسول‬O‫ ما ب حب النيا و‬،4‫اما وا‬
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عزوجل ﴿وان‬4‫ عليه وسلم يقرأ آية من كتاب ا‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫ا‬
‫ واردها كن < ربك حتما مقضيا﴾ فلست ادري كيف‬O‫منكم ا‬
‫¯ بالصدر بعد الورود‬
“Behold! I swear by Allah, it is neither my love for this world nor my fondness for
you that makes me weep but it is because I heard Rasulullah  recite the
following Qur-aanic verse: ‘There is none of you but he would pass over hell and
this has been decisively declared by your Lord.’ So I do not know how I will return
after passing over hell.”
As the army was on the point of departing, the Muslims called out to them in dua:
“May Allah Ta’ala bring you back safe and victorious.” To this, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah
bin Rawaahah  replied in the following couplets:
َّ ‫ات فَ ۡرغ َت ۡقذ ُِف‬
‫الز َبدا‬
َ َ ًَۡ َ َ
‫وضبة ذ‬
ًَ َۡ
‫لكنن اسأل الرحن مغفِرة‬
“I do not aspire to return but I beg the forgiveness of Allah and I hope for a deep
sword-wound that froths.
َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ُۡ ََۡ ً َ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ َ ً َ ۡ َ
‫اء الكبَ َدا‬‫ِبربة تنفِذ الحش‬ ‫او طعنة بِيدي حران م ِهزة‬
or I wish for a wound inflicted by a razor-sharp spear or an arrow that penetrates

right through my intestines and liver.
َ َ ّٰ َ َ
‫حت يقال اذا مروا < جدث‬ ‫ م ِۡن غ ٍز َوق ۡد رشدا‬4‫يَا ا ۡرش َد ا‬
(I wish to be wounded) to such an extent that when people pass my grave, they may
applaud me and say: ‘Ah! Bravo! What a brilliant warrior, what a success he made
of his life.”
As the army was on the verge of leaving, Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
came close to Rasulullah  and recited the following couplets:
Chapter 22 461
َ َ ََ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ
‫الو َجه مِن ُه فقد ا ۡزرى بِه الق َد ُر‬
َ ‫َو‬ ‫انت الرسول فمن ي َرم نواف ِله‬
“You are the divine Messenger. He who is deprived of your blessings and deprived of
beholding your blessed countenance, destiny has disgraced him.
ُ ِ ُ‫ـصا َك َّل ِۡي ن‬
‫ـص ۡوا‬ َ ‫تَ ۡثب ۡي‬
ً ۡ َ‫ت ُم ۡو ٰس َو ن‬ َ ‫َف َث َّب‬
ُ ّٰ ‫ت‬
‫ ما اتاك م ِۡن َح َس ٍن‬4‫ا‬
ِ
May Allah Ta’ala grant you steadfastness and perseverance like Musa  in all
the good He has bestowed upon you and may He extend divine assistance towards
you like He did for the previous Prophets.
ََ َ ۡ ‫اسة َخالَ َف‬
ً َ ً َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َّ َ َ ّ
‫ت ف ِۡيك الي نظ ُر ۡوا‬ ‫ف ِر‬ ‫ال ۡي ناف ِلة‬ ‫ان تفرست فِيك‬
I have perceived your goodness to be more than ever and this perception of mine
contradicts the perception of the disbelievers.”
To this Rasulullah  responded:
ّٰ
‫ يا ابن رواحه‬4‫وانت فثبتك ا‬
“And you too, O Ibn Rawaahah! May Allah Ta’ala grant you steadfastness too.”
When Shurahbeel heard of the departure of this army, he amassed more than one
hundred thousand troops to fight against the Muslims. To lend support to
Shurahbeel, the Roman emperor, Heraclius, himself landed at Balqa with another
hundred thousand troops. When the Muslims landed at Ma‘an, they heard that a
huge army of two hundred thousand soldiers awaited the three thousand Muslims
at Balqa. The Mulsim army camped over for two nights at Ma‘an whilst
deliberating about what to do and the way forward. One group suggested that
Rasulullah  be informed about this and that the Muslims should await his
instructions and reinforcements. To this Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
commented:
ّٰ
‫ ان الت تكرهون للت خرجتم اياها تطلبون الشهادة‬،4‫يا قوم ! وا‬
‫ بهذا الين‬O‫ ما نقاتلهم ا‬،‫ كثة‬O‫ قوة و‬O‫وما نقاتل الاس بعدد و‬
ّٰ
‫ اما ظهور واما‬،‫ به فانطلقوا فانما ه احد السنيي‬4‫الي اكرمنا ا‬
‫شهادة‬
“O people! I swear by Allah that what you seem to abhor is exactly the same
martyrdom you set out to achieve. We neither fight the disbelievers on the basis of
power nor on the strength of numbers. Our fighting is solely on the basis of this
Deen that Allah has honoured us with. So get up and advance because you will
attain either one of two good things; either you will be triumphant over the
disbelievers or you will gain martyrdom.”
To this, the people replied: “By Allah! Ibn Rawaahah has spoken the truth.”
Saying this, this committed and devoted group of three thousand men
advanced towards Muta to engage an army of two-hundred-thousand-strong
enemies of Allah Ta’ala.
As they landed on the battlefield of Muta and both armies confronted one
another, Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah , holding the banner of Islam aloft,
stepped out to fight the enemy. He continued fighting valiantly until he was
martyred. Thereafter, Hadhrat Ja’far , mounted on a horse, stepped out with
the flag in his hand. When he was completely encircled by the enemy and his horse
was wounded, he dismounted and cut off his horse’s fetlocks (legs) and taking a
courageous stance against the enemies of Allah Ta’ala, he continued fighting them.
Note: He cut off the legs of the horse so that the enemies do not derive any
benefit from it.
As he was engaging the enemy, he would go on reciting the following
couplets:
َ ً ََ ً ّ ۡ ُ
‫اردا شابُها‬
ِ ‫طيبة وب‬ ‫تابُها‬
َ ِ ‫واق‬ ‫يا حبذ النة‬
“How magnificent and pure is Jannah and its environs! And how cool is its water!
َۡ
‫كفرةٌ بعيدةٌ ان َسابُها‬ ُ
ٌ ‫والروم‬
‫روم قددنا عذابها‬
As for the Romans, their divine chastisement has drawn close. They are disbelievers
and their lineage is distant from ours. (In other words, they do not enjoy any family
relationship with us.)
َ ِ ‫ َق ۡي ُتها‬O ۡ‫< ا ِذ‬
‫ضابُها‬ ّ
When they confront me, I am obliged to strike them.”
As he was fighting, his right hand was chopped off. He then held the flag with his
left hand. When the enemy lopped off his left hand too, he took the flag to his
bosom until he too was martyred. In compensation, Allah Ta’ala bestowed him
with a pair of wings with which he soars with the angels in Jannah.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar  narrates that when Hadhrat Ja’far’s  body
was located, he had more than ninety arrow and sword wounds on his body and
every one of them was at the front of his body. He had not a single wound on the
back of his body.
After the martyrdom of Hadhrat Ja’far , Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin
Rawaahah  assumed control of the flag and advanced towards the enemy. He
Chapter 22 463
was mounted on a horse. For a few moments, he was stricken with misgivings of
his Nafs. He addressed his Nafs and recited the following couplets:
َ ُ َ ‫كره ًة ا َ ۡو‬
‫ل َطاوِ ع َّن ۡه‬ َّ ‫ت يَا َن ۡف ُس َلَ ۡن‬
‫ل ۡه‬ ُ ‫ا َ ۡق َس ۡم‬
ِ
“O Nafs! I swear that you will dismount from the horse and engage the enemies of
Allah whether you like it or not.
َّ ‫ِي‬
‫النه‬
ۡ َ
َ ۡ ‫كره‬ ‫ا¯ اراكِ ت‬ َ َّ َ ُ
‫الاس وش ُّدوا الرن ۡه‬ َ َ‫ا ِۡن ا َ ۡجل‬
ِ ‫م‬ ‫ب‬
If the people are screaming and lamenting, (let them do so). Why is it that I observe
you harbouring an aversion towards Jannah? (In other words, why are you not
advancing speedily? The fact that you are faltering in going forward is an
indication of your aversion towards Jannah. He said this merely to censure himself.)
َ ۡ ٌ َ ۡ ُ َّ ۡ َ ۡ ُۡ َۡ َۡ
‫ف ش َّن ۡه‬ِ ‫نطفة‬O‫ت ا‬ ِ ‫هل ان‬ ‫ت ُم ۡط َمئ ِ َّن ۡه‬
ِ ‫قد طالما قد كن‬
You (O Nafs!) were always at ease. What happened to you now? You were nothing
but a droplet of spermatic fluid in the uterus. (You are wavering just for this
insignificant droplet?)
ۡ ‫ام الموتِ قَ ۡد َص‬
‫ليت‬ ُ ‫ح‬َ ِ ‫ه َذا‬ ۡ ‫ ُت ۡق َتل َت ُم ۡو‬Oَِّ ‫يَا َن ۡف ُس ا‬
‫ت‬ِ ِ
O Nafs! Even if you are not killed today, you are inescapably going to die one day.
This is the inevitable destiny of the process of death.
َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َ
ُ ۡ ِ ‫ا ِۡن َت ۡف َع‬
‫ل ف ِۡعله َما هدِيۡت‬ ‫ت فق ۡد اع ِط ۡيت‬
ِ ‫وما تمني‬
What you had desired is now available to you (and that is the opportunity of
martyrdom in the path of Allah). If you accomplish the feats of those two people
(Zaid  and Ja’far ), then you will be well-guided.”
Saying this, he alighted from his horse. His cousin (father’s brother’s son) offered
him a meat-bone saying: “Why don’t you suck on this. Get some energy to fight.
You are starving for a number of days now.”
Ibn Rawaahaha  took the bone and he sucked on it just once and threw
it aside exclaiming: “O Nafs! People are engaged in Jihaad and you are busy with
worldly pursuits.” He then took hold of his sword and advanced onto the
battlefield. He continued fighting gallantly until he was martyred and the banner of
Islam fell from his hand. At once, Saabit bin Akhram  took hold of the
banner and addressed the Muslims thus: “O Muslims! Appoint an Ameer over you.”
The people responded: “You are our Ameer. We are pleased with you as our
Ameer.” Saabit  commented: “I am incompetent in this field.” Saying this, he
thrust the flag into the hands of Khaalid bin Waleed  and remarked: “You are
well-acquainted with the art of war.”
Khaalid bin Waleed  was a bit reluctant to accept the post of Ameer but
all the Muslims unanimously agreed to this appointment. Clutching the banner of
Islam, Hadhrat Khaalid bin Waleed  advanced against the enemy and with
great courage and dynamic dauntlessness, he fought the enemies of Allah.
Hadhrat Khaalid bin Waleed  himself narrates: “In the battle of Muta
whilst engaging the enemy, nine swords were broken at my hands. Only a single
Yemeni sword remained in my hands.”
On the second day of the battle, Hadhrat Khaalid  altered the plan of
battle. He changed the vanguard with the rear guard whilst switching the right
flank with the left flank. On noticing this modification in the ranks, the enemy was
struck with fear. They assumed that more reinforcements arrived to bolster the
Muslims.
Ibn S‘ad Abu ‘Aamir  narrates: “When Khaalid bin Waleed 
launched an attack against the Roman forces, he crushed them so severely that
never before have I witnessed such an astounding defeat. The Muslims were able to
swipe their swords wherever they wished to.”
They also came into possession of some spoils of war. Following the crushing
defeat of the Romans, Hadhrat Khaalid bin Waleed  did not deem it
appropriate to pursue them any further and together with his relatively small group
of men, he returned to Madinah Munawwarah.
In this battle, twelve Muslims were martyred. They are:
1. Zaid bin Haarisah 
2. Ja’far bin Abi Taalib 
3. ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah 
4. Mas’ood bin Aws 
5. Wahab bin S‘ad 
6. ‘Abbaad bin Qays 
7. Haaris bin Nu’maan 
8. Suraaqah bin ‘Umar 
9. Abu Kulaib bin ‘Amr 
10. Jaabir bin ‘Amr 
11. ‘Amr bin S‘ad bin Haaris 
12. ‘Aamir bin S‘ad bin Haaris 
Chapter 22 465
As these warriors of Islam were being martyred on the battlefield of Muta, Allah
Ta’ala, in His absolute power, made it possible for Rasulullah  to witness
these events unfolding on the battlefield of Shaam whilst he was sitting in Madinah
Munawwarah. All intervening veils between him and the battlefield were raised.
Rasulullah  assembled the Sahaabah  by announcing: “As-Salaatu
Jaami‘ah”. When the Sahaabah  were assembled, Rasulullah 
ascended the mimbar and the battlefield was laid bare before him. He said: “Zaid
has taken the flag of Islam in his hand and he fought the disbelievers until he was
martyred and he entered Jannah. After Zaid, Ja’far took the flag and he also fought
the enemies of Allah valiantly until he was martyred and he too entered Jannah.
He is now soaring with the angels in Jannah with the aid of his two wings.”
“Thereafter ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah snapped up the flag.”
Saying this, Rasulullah  observed silence and for some time this
silence continued. On noticing this, the Ansaar were beset with apprehension and
signs of anxiety became apparent on their faces. They guessed that perhaps
‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  did something unseemly which led to Rasulullah’s
 silence.
Following a short silence, Rasulullah  continued: “Now ‘Abdullah
bin Rawaahah  has also engaged the disbelievers. He also fought gallantly
until he was martyred. All three of them were raised into Jannah and all three are
relaxing on golden thrones. However, I noticed that the throne of ‘Abdullah bin
Rawaahah  is unsteady and shaking. When I enquired the reason for this, I
was informed that ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah  was overcome with reluctance
before he engaged the enemy. Only after this slight hesitancy did he step ahead and
fight whilst his companions, Zaid and Ja’far engaged the enemy without a trace of
reluctance.” Another narration describes this thus: “Thereafter the banner was
taken up by ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah. He was martyred and he entered Jannah
with a bit of resistance (or hesitancy).” This caused the Ansaar a great deal of
sorrow. One of them asked: “What is the reason for this?” Rasulullah 
replied: “When ‘Abdullah was wounded on the battlefield, (due to innate human
disposition) he became a bit sluggish but he promptly admonished himself,
valiantly advanced against the enemy, became a martyr and entered Jannah.” This
statement of Rasulullah  did away with the anguish of the Ansaar.
Whilst Rasulullah  was describing this scene of the battlefield, his
eyes were brimming with tears. He then added: “After them, a ‘sword of the
swords of Allah’ (Khaalid bin Waleed) has taken hold of the flag of Islam. He
fought until Allah Ta’ala granted the Muslims victory.”
According to another narration, Rasulullah  said:
ّٰ
4‫ فمن يومئذ سم سيف ا‬،‫اللهم انه سيف من سيوفك فانت تنصه‬
“O Allah! He (Khaalid) is a sword from amongst Your swords. You alone can assist
him.” From that day onwards, he was called Saifullah (the sword of Allah).
When Hadhrat Abu Bakr  assigned Hadhrat Khaalid  to fight the
renegades, as he was handing over the banner of leadership to Khaalid , he
commented:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ واخو‬4‫ نعم عبدا‬:‫ عليه وسلم يقول‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫ان سمعت رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ < الكفار‬4‫ ! سله ا‬4‫العشية خال بن الولد سيف من سيوف ا‬
“I heard Rasulullah  say: ‘What a pleasant servant of Allah and what an
amiable brother of the tribe is Khaalid bin Waleed, a sword from the swords of
Allah. Allah Ta’ala has unsheathed him against the disbelievers.’”
After narrating this sorrowful incident, Rasulullah  proceeded to the
house of Hadhrat Ja’far . He called his children and as Rasulullah 
was patting them with his blessed hands over their heads, his eyes were flowing
with tears. Hadhrat Ja’far’s  wife, Hadhrat Asma bint ‘Umais  realised
that something was amiss. She enquired: “O Rasulullah ! May my parents
be sacrificed for you. Why are you crying? Have you heard something about Ja’far
 and his companions?” Rasulullah  replied: “Yes, today he was
martyred.”
Hadhrat Asma bint ‘Umais  relates: “The moment I heard this
distressing news, a piercing shriek escaped my lips. A number of women gathered
around me (to comfort and console me).”
Rasulullah  then returned to his house and asked his family to
prepare meals for the household of Ja’far  as they were afflicted with grief.
This incident had a profound effect on Rasulullah  as well. Saddened by
this heartbreaking incident, Rasulullah  stayed for three days in the
Masjid.
On their return from Muta, as Hadhrat Khaalid bin Waleed  and his
companions neared Madinah, Rasulullah  and the Muslims came out to
give them a warm welcome.
Expedition of ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  towards Zaatus-Salaasil
In the month of Jumadas-Saaniyah 8 A.H., Rasulullah  received

intelligence that a group of assailants of the Banu Quda‘ah tribe planned to launch
an attack on Madinah Munawwarah. To nip them in the bud, Rasulullah 
sent ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  to Zaatus-Salaasil. This area is located about ten Manzils
Chapter 22 467
from Madinah Munawwarah. Rasulullah  despatched three hundred foot

soldiers and thirty mounted warriors with him. As they drew closer to this area,
they ascertained that the disbelievers had massed a colossal force ready to engage
the Muslims. The Muslims decided to hold back temporarily. Hadhrat ‘Amr bin
‘Aas  sent Raaf‘i bin Makith  to Rasulullah  appealing for
more reinforcements. Rasulullah  despatched Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah
 with a contingent of two hundred warriors that included Hadhrat ‘Abu Bakr
 and Hadhrat ‘Umar . As this venerable group was departing,
Rasulullah  strongly advised them to meet up with Abu ‘Ubaidah bin
Jarrah  and he also stressed the need for unity, harmony and abstention from
dissension.
When Abu ‘Ubaidah  landed there and the time for Salaah drew closer,
he decided to lead the Salaah. ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  cautioned him saying: “I am
the Ameer (leader) of this army whilst you have come just to assist us.” To this Abu
‘Ubaidah  replied: “You are the Ameer of your group whilst I am the Ameer
of my group.”
Afterwards Hadhrat Abu ‘Ubaidah  said: “As we were setting forth from
Madinah, the parting instruction Rasulullah  offered me was: ‘Obey one
another and refrain from disunity and dissension.’ So I will comply with you even
though you refuse to go along with me.”
In this manner, Abu ‘Ubaidah  consented to the leadership and Imaamat
of ‘Amr bin ‘Aas . Hadhrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  would lead the Salaah and
Hadhrat Abu ‘Ubaidah  would join the ranks of the followers.
In due course, all of them gathered their forces and launched an attack against
Banu Quda‘ah. The disbelievers fled in awe and dispersed in panic. The Sahaabah
 sent Hadhrat ‘Awf bin Maalik Ashja‘i  to Madinah with the good
news of their victory.
Following this victory, Hadhrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  stayed there for a few
more days and continued sending his horsemen in different directions. They would
capture some goats and camels which the Muslims would cook and consume.
During the course of this expedition, Hadhrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas 
experienced a wet dream. Due to the intensity of the cold, he did not perform
Ghusl but led the Fajar Salaah with Tayammum. When this was related to
Rasulullah , he enquired: “O ‘Amr! You led your companions in Salaah in
the state of Janaabah?” Hadhrat ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  replied: “O Rasulullah
! I feared for my life and Allah Ta’ala also commands: ‘Do not kill
yourselves, verily Allah is exceptionally affectionate unto you.” Rasulullah
 merely smiled at this and did not comment further.
Note: Khaalid bin Waleed  and ‘Amr bin ‘Aas  embraced Islam at
the same time. The expedition of Muta occurred after their entry into Islam and in
this expedition Khaalid bin Waleed  was appointed as Ameer. Following the
battle of Muta, the expedition of Zaatus-Salaasil took place in which ‘Amr bin ‘Aas
 was appointed as Ameer.
Expedition of Abu ‘Ubaidah  towards Siful-Bahr (the

coastline)
Thereafter in the month of Rajab 8 A.H. Rasulullah  appointed Hadhrat
Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah  as Ameer over three hundred men and sent them
towards Siful-Bahr (the Arabian coastline) to attack the Juhaynah tribe. Hadhrat
‘Umar bin Khattaab  and Hadhrat Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah  were also in
this army. As this army was setting off, Rasulullah  presented them with
a bag of dates as provisions for the road. After these dates were depleted, they
sustained themselves by sucking on date seeds and drinking water. In due course,
when the date pips also ran out, they would shake the leaves off the trees, soak
them in water and eat them. This is why this expedition was also called the
expedition of Khabt. The literal meaning of Khabt is to shake leaves off a tree. Due
to the Sahaabah  eating these leaves, they developed painful cuts on their
lips and sores in their mouths.
One day, when they finally made it to the coast and frantic with hunger, they
were suddenly confronted with a miraculous gift from the unseen. The sea threw
out such a huge fish that the whole army continued eating from it for eighteen
days. The Sahaabah  relate that on consuming the fish, they became healthy
and fit once again. The fish was an Ambar (a sperm whale). Thereafter, Hadhrat
‘Abu ‘Ubaidah  took one of its ribs and erected it on the ground. He then
asked one of the tallest men to ride the tallest camel beneath this rib. This rider
managed to pass under this rib comfortably without his head even touching the rib.
The Sahaabah  narrate: “When we returned to Madinah Munawwarah
and related this incident to Rasulullah , he commented: ‘This was the
sustenance of Allah Ta’ala which He has provided for you. If you have any of its
meat left over, share it with us.’ Subsequently, its meat was presented to Rasulullah
 and he partook of it.” During this expedition, no opportunity for actual
combat arose. The Muslim army returned to Madinah without physically engaging
the enemy. Note: The sustenance that comes directly from Allah Ta’ala without
any human intervention is considered a very blessed sustenance. Due to its blessed
nature and purity, Rasulullah  requested and partook from the fish.
ٌ ۡ ‫ ﻟﻤﺎ ۤ اﻧ ۡﺰﻟْﺖ ا ﻣ ْﻦ ﺧ ۡﲑ ﻓﻘ‬6
‫ﲑ‬ ۡ ‫رب ا‬
ٍ
“O my Rabb! (said Musa ) I am in desperate need for whatever you send forth
towards me.”
Chapter 23
The Conquest of Makkah - Ramadhaan 8 A.H.
At the time when the peace treaty was signed at Hudaybiyah between Rasulullah
 and the Quraysh, then in accordance with the conditions that were
written down, the different tribes were given the choice of joining either of the two
parties (of the peace treaty). Consequently, the Banu Bakr joined the Quraysh
while the Banu Khuzaa‘ah joined Rasulullah . Both these tribes were at
each other’s throats since pre-Islamic times. The reason for this was that Maalik ibn
‘Abbaad Hadrami went into the lands of the Banu Khuzaa‘ah with his trading
goods. The Banu Khuzaa‘ah killed him and stole all his wealth and possessions.
When the Banu Bakr got the opportunity, they killed a member of the Banu
Khuzaa‘ah tribe in exchange for Maalik Hadrami. In retaliation for this one person,
the Banu Khuzaa‘ah then killed three members of the Banu Bakr tribe. The three
were leaders by the names of Dhuwayb, Sulami and Kulsoom. They were killed in
the plains of ‘Arafaat, very close to the boundaries of the Haram (the sanctified
sanctuary of Makkah).
This killing and counter killing continued from pre-Islamic times till the
advent of Islam. With the advent of Islam, it stopped because the people were more
occupied with Islamic affairs.
On account of a limited peace treaty that was signed in Hudaybiyyah, the two
groups now felt safe from each other and fearless of each other. The Banu Bakr
now found the opportunity to give vent to their enmity. Naufal ibn Mu’aawiyah
from the Banu Bakr together with his friends attacked the Khuzaa‘ah. It was at
night when members of the latter tribe had stopped over at an oasis by the name of
Watir where they had been sleeping.
Safwaan ibn Umayyah, Shaybah ibn ‘Usmaan, Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, Huwatib ibn
‘Abdul-’Uzza and Makraz ibn Hafs who were all from the Quraysh secretly assisted
the Banu Bakr. The Khuzaa‘ah fled and sought refuge in the Haram. However, they
too were not spared.
469
The Quraysh helped the Banu Bakr in every way possible. They supplied them
with weapons and men as well. People from the Khuzaa‘ah sought refuge in
Makkah in the house of Budayl ibn Warqaa’ Khuzaa‘i. However, the Banu Bakr
and the Quraysh leaders got into the houses, killed them and stole their belongings.
They continued thinking that Rasulullah  would not come to know of
this offense. The next morning, the Quraysh regretted their actions and realised
that they went against the peace treaty and that, through an error on their part,
they broke their promises which they made with Rasulullah  at
Hudaybiyah.
‘Amr ibn Saalim Khuzaa‘i went to Madinah with a delegation of 40 people
and presented himself to Rasulullah  who was in the Masjid at that time.
‘Amr ibn Saalim stood up and announced:
َ‫ح ِۡل َف أَب ۡي َنا َوأَب ۡيهِ ۡالتۡ َلا‬ َُ َ ّۡ ّ َ َ
‫ن ناش ٌِد م َّم ًدا‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ‫ب إ‬
ِ ‫يا ر‬
“O Sustainer! I have come to remind Muhammad () of the old agreement
that was made between my father and his father, ‘Abdul Muttalib.”
In pre-Islamic times, the Khuzaa‘ah were the confederates of ‘Abdul Muttalib. He
was thus making reference to this fact that just as we are your confederates (at
present), our forefathers were the confederates of your forefathers.
َ َ َ ُ ََ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ً ۡ ُ َّ
‫َونقض ۡوا م ِۡيثاقك المؤكدا‬ ‫إِن ق َريشا اخلف ۡو َك ال َم ۡوع َِدا‬
“The Quraysh have certainly went against your agreement. And they have broken
your strong agreement and promise.
َّ ‫َو َق َت ُل ۡونَا ُر َّك ًعا َو ُس‬ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ ُ
‫ج ًدا‬ ‫ِي ه َّج َدا‬
ِ ‫هم بيتونا بِالوت‬
They attacked us at the Watir oasis while we were asleep at night. They killed us
while we were bowing and prostrating (in Salaah).”
Some of them had become Muslims although ‘Amr himself was not a Muslim.
ُ َۡ ُ َۡ َۡ ُ َ َ َ
‫وزعموا أن لست أدعو أحدا‬ ‫وجعلوا ¯ ف كدا ٍء ُر َّص ًدا‬
“They placed some people to ambush us at the place called Kida’. They assumed
that I will not summon anyone to come to my assistance.
ً ‫قد كنتم‬ ً َ َ ُّ َ َ َ ُّ َ َ ۡ ُ َ
‫ولا وكنا والا‬ ‫وهم أذل وأقل عددا‬
They are despicable and also very few in number. “We are like a father and you are
like our child.”
Chapter 23 471
َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ُۡ ّ ً ََ
‫ثمت أسلمنا ولم ننِع يدا‬ ‫ت ال َولا‬‫وو ِالا كنا وكن‬
This is because the mother of ‘Abd Manaaf was from the Khuzaa‘ah tribe. In like
manner, the mother of Qusayy, Faatimah bint Sa‘d, was also from the Khuzaa‘ah
tribe. “Based on this relationship, it is necessary for you to help and assist us. Apart
from this, we have always remained obedient and loyal to you. We never
disobeyed you at any time. It is therefore hoped that you will help those who are
loyal and faithful to you.”
ً ّٰ ُ ۡ ۡ ً ُ ّٰ ‫دك‬
َ ّ‫فانص اي‬
‫ يأتوا َم َددا‬4‫َوادع ع َِباد ا‬ ‫نـصا اع َت َدا‬ 4‫ا‬
“You should therefore help us immediately, Allah Ta’ala will help you. Order the
special servants of Allah (your Companions) so that they will certainly come to our
assistance as well.”
According to another narration, the following words were said:
ۡ ً ُ ّٰ ‫دك‬
َ ّ‫فانص اي‬
‫نـصا اع َت َدا‬ 4‫ا‬
“O Messenger of Allah! Come to our immediate assistance, Allah Ta’ala will help
you
َ ً َ َ ّٰ
‫إِن س ِۡي َم خ ۡسفا َو ۡج َه ٗه ت َر َّبدا‬ ‫ قد تَ َّردا‬4‫ف ِۡي ِه ۡم رسول ا‬
When the servants of Allah come to our assistance, the Messenger of Allah should
certainly be among them, he who is prepared to fight the wrongdoers.”
In other words, do not suffice with merely sending a group of fighters. Rather, he
should personally join the army. If the wrong doers try to disgrace you in any way,
may your blessed face take on a glowing expression out of self-honour.”
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar  narrates that after hearing all these incidents,
Rasulullah  said: “You shall certainly be helped, O ‘Amr ibn Saalim!”
Another Hadith states that he said: “May I not be helped if I do not come to your
help.” Rasulullah  then asked him: “Were all the members of the Banu
Bakr tribe involved in this?” He replied: “No. It was only the Banu Nufaasah and
their leader, Naufal.” Rasulullah  promised to help and assist him. This
delegation then returned. Rasulullah  sent a delegate to the Quraysh in
Makkah and asked him to convey the following message: “You may choose one of
the following three options:
1. The blood money be paid for those who were killed from the Banu Khuzaa‘ah.
2. The Banu Nufaasah be removed from the pact and covenant.
3. Announce that the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah is now cancelled.”
When the delegate conveyed this message, Qurtah ibn ‘Amr replied on behalf of
the Quraysh: “We will not pay the blood money to the Banu Khuzaa‘ah, the Banu
Nufaasah will not be removed from the pact, but we are prepared to cancel the
treaty of Hudaybiyah.” However, when the delegate returned, the Quraysh
regretted this. They immediately sent Abu Sufyaan to Madinah in order to renew
the treaty and to increase the period of the treaty.
Abu Sufyaan leaves Makkah in order to renew the peace

treaty
Abu Sufyaan left Makkah and headed towards Madinah in order to renew the
peace treaty. Rasulullah  informed the companions that Abu Sufyaan was
coming from Makkah in order to increase the period of the treaty and to further
strengthen it. Abu Sufyaan left Makkah and when he reached a place called
‘Asfaan, he met Budayl ibn Warqaa’ Khuzaa‘i. Abu Sufyaan asked him as to where
he was coming from. He replied that he was coming from this nearby valley. On
saying this, Budayl continued towards Makkah. It was then that Abu Sufyaan
thought that this Budayl is certainly returning from Madinah. He therefore went to
the spot where Budayl’s camel had been sitting. He broke the dung of the camel
and saw date seeds in it. On seeing this, he said: “By Allah! Budayl is certainly
coming from Madinah. These seeds are from the dates of Madinah.” On reaching
Madinah, Abu Sufyaan went straight to the house of his daughter, Ummul-
Mu’mineen Umme Habibah . He said to her: “O my daughter! You have
folded up the sitting mat. Do you consider the mat not worthy of me or am I not
worthy of it?” She replied: “This is the bed of Rasulullah . A disbeliever
who is impure and filthy with the filth of polytheism cannot sit on it.” Abu Sufyaan
shouted out saying: “O my daughter! By Allah, you have fallen into evil in my
absence.” She replied: “Not into evil. Rather, I have come out of the darkness of
disbelief and went into the light and guidance of Islam. I am surprised at you that
despite being one of the leaders of the Quraysh, you worship stones that can
neither hear nor see.”
Abu Sufyaan got up and proceeded to the Masjid. He presented himself before
Rasulullah  and said: “I have come on behalf of the Quraysh in order to
renew the peace treaty and to increase the period of the treaty.” Rasulullah
 did not give any reply. When he got no answer from Rasulullah
, he went to Abu Bakr  and asked him to intercede on his behalf.
He replied: “I cannot do anything in this regard.” He then went to ‘Umar ibn al-
Khattaab  and asked him to intercede on his behalf. ‘Umar  replied:
“Allah is the greatest! If I do not find a single person in the entire world to join me,
I am prepared to go out and wage Jihaad all by myself.” On hearing this, he went to
Ali  who was sitting with his wife, Faatimah  and his son, Hasan
Chapter 23 473
. He addressed Ali  saying: “O father of Hasan! You are the closest

relative to me. I have come with an urgent need. I cannot go back unsuccessful.
You should therefore intercede on my behalf before Rasulullah .” Ali
 replied: “I swear by Allah that Rasulullah  has already made a
decision in this regard. It is now impossible for anyone to say anything.” On
hearing this, he addressed Faatimah  saying: “O daughter of Muhammad! If
you order this child (Hasan ) to announce that I have given refuge to the
Quraysh, he will forever be recognised as a leader of the Arabs.” She replied: “First
of all, he is very young (giving refuge is the responsibility of adults). Secondly, who
can give refuge against the pleasure of Rasulullah ?” Abu Sufyaan
addressed Ali  saying: “The matter has become very serious. Now show me a
way out.” He replied: “I cannot think of anything except that if you think it
beneficial and of help, you may do it. Go into the Masjid and announce: ‘I have
come to renew the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah, to further strengthen it and to
increase the period of the treaty.’ After saying this, go back to your city.” Abu
Sufyaan left, went to the Masjid and made this announcement in a loud voice: “I
am renewing the peace treaty and increasing the period of the treaty.” On saying
this, he returned to Makkah.
On reaching Makkah and relating the entire story to the Quraysh, they asked
him: “Did Muhammad accept this announcement of yours?” He replied: “No.” The
Quraysh said: “How can you feel pleased and satisfied without having gained the
permission and agreement of Muhammad? You have merely come back with
something useless – which is not difficult to break. By Allah, Ali mocked you
(when he told you what to do). You have neither come with any news about the
peace treaty, whereby we could feel at ease, nor have you come with any news of
war whereby we could make preparations.”
When Abu Sufyaan left (Madinah), Rasulullah  ordered the
Sahaabah  to secretly make preparations for the journey to Makkah and to
get ready their weapons of war. He emphasised that this should be kept a secret, it
should not be announced. He also sent a message to the surrounding tribes to make
preparations.
The story of Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah 

During this period, Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah  wrote a letter to the people of
Makkah informing them that Rasulullah  was making preparations for
Makkah. He secretly sent this letter with a woman going to Makkah. Allah Ta’ala
informed Rasulullah  of this through divine inspiration. He therefore sent
Ali , Zubayr  and Miqdaad  instructing them to continue
travelling till they reach a place called Raudah Khaakh where they would find a
woman riding a camel. She will have a letter written by Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah
 addressed to the people of Makkah. They should bring it back to Madinah.

They relate: “We reached this place, found a woman there, made the camel sit
down and we searched her. However, we did not find the letter. We said to
ourselves: ‘By Allah! Rasulullah  can never be wrong.’ We said to the
woman: ‘It would be better if you hand over the letter to us. If not, we will strip
you naked and take the letter from you.’ The woman then removed the letter from
her hair and handed it over to us. We returned with it to Rasulullah . He
summoned Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah  and asked him for an explanation. He
replied: ‘O Rasulullah ! Do not hasten in punishing me. I have no family
ties with the Quraysh. I merely have a pact with them. My family is at present in
Makkah. They have no protectors nor helpers there. On the other hand, the
Muhaajireen whose families are there have other relatives living there as well.
Their families are thereby protected. I therefore thought that since I have no family
ties with the Quraysh, I should do them a favour whereby they would protect my
family. I take an oath in the name of Allah that I did not do this out of apostasy nor
have I chosen disbelief after having embraced Islam. My only reason was what I
just mentioned.’”
On hearing his account, Rasulullah  said:
ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ
ۡ‫كم‬ ‫أما إِنه قد صدق‬
“Listen! He has surely spoken the truth to you.”
‘Umar  said: “O Rasulullah ! Permit me to chop off the neck of this
hypocrite.” Rasulullah  replied:
ّٰ ً
‫ اطلع < أهل بدر فقال‬4‫إنه قد شهد بدرا وما يدريك لعل ا‬
‫اعملوا ما شئتم فقد غفرت لكم‬
“He participated in the battle of Badr. Perhaps Allah Ta’ala addressed the
participants of Badr, saying: ‘Do whatever you wish, for I have forgiven you.’”
On hearing this, ‘Umar’s  eyes were filled with tears and he said: “Allah
Ta’ala and His Messenger  know best.”
The subject matter of Haatib’s  letter
The subject matter of Haatib’s  letter also shows that his purpose of writing it
was not based on hypocrisy. This was the letter:
Chapter 23 475
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫أما بعد ! يا معش قريش فإن رسول ا‬
ّٰ
‫ لو جآءكم وحده لصه‬4‫جآءكم بيش كلليل يسي كلسيل فوا‬
ّٰ
‫م‬K‫ وانز ل وعده فانظروا لنفسكم والس‬4‫ا‬
“O Quraysh! Rasulullah  is going to come to you with a terrifying army
like the night, which will flow like a flood. By Allah, if Rasulullah  comes
all alone to you, Allah Ta’ala will help him and fulfil His promise of victory. (In
other words, his success is not dependent on an army). You should therefore think
about your consequences. Wassalaam.”
The subject matter of this letter clearly supports his excuse which he had given
previously: “I have written a letter that will not harm Allah and His Messenger
.”
Another narration states that the subject matter of the letter was as follows:
‫إن ممدا قد نفر فإما إلكم وإما إ¯ غيكم فعليكم الذر‬

“Surely Muhammad  is going to leave for war. (It is not known to whom),
either to you or to someone else. You should therefore beware.”
Allah Ta’ala revealed the following verse in connection to this incident of Haatib
:
َ ُُۡ ٓ َ ُ َ ۡ ‫ َت َّتخ ُِذ ۡوا َع ُد ّو‬Oَ ‫ال ۡي َن ا ٰ َم ُن ۡوا‬َّ َ ُّ َ ٰ
‫ي َو ع ُد َّوك ۡم ا ۡو ِلا َء تلق ۡون‬ ِ ِ ‫يا يها‬
ْ ۡ َ ِ‫ا‬
ِ ‫ل ِه ۡم بِال َم َو َّدة‬
“O believers! Do not take My enemies and your enemies as friends. You convey to
them the message of friendship…”[Surah al-Mumtahinah, verse 1]
In this verse, Allah Ta’ala explains the injunctions concerning ties of friendship
with the unbelievers.
Departure from Madinah

On the 10th of Ramadhaan, Rasulullah  together with a group of 10 000
Companions left Madinah after the Asr Salaah with the intention of conquering
Makkah. From among his wives, Umme Salamah  and Maymunah 
accompanied him.
When he reached Zul Hulayfah or Juhfah, he met ‘Abbaas  and his

family who left Makkah with the intention of emigrating to Madinah. Acting on
the instruction of Rasulullah , he sent his possessions to Madinah, joined
the Muslim army and headed towards Makkah in order to wage Jihaad. He had
embraced Islam before but had been concealing his Islam from the Quraysh.
Rasulullah  said to him: “O ‘Abbaas! This is your last emigration just as
my prophet-hood is the last prophet-hood.” ‘Abbaas  had remained in
Makkah under the instruction of Rasulullah  so that while living there, he
could convey information about the Quraysh to Rasulullah .
While ‘Abbaas  was living in Makkah, he had sought permission from
Rasulullah  to emigrate. Rasulullah  wrote to him saying: “O
my uncle! You should remain in your place. Allah Ta’ala will complete emigration
with you just as He completed prophet-hood with me.”
Abu Sufyaan ibn Haaris and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah were at a place
called Abwa’. They left Makkah for Madinah with the intention of embracing
Islam. Apart from Abu Sufyaan ibn Haaris ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib being the cousin of
Rasulullah , he was also his foster brother. He was also breast-fed by
Halimah Sa‘diyyah . He was a friend of Rasulullah  before
prophet-hood and was always in his company. However, when Rasulullah
 became a Prophet, he became his enemy. He sang poetry disgracing
Rasulullah . These lines of poetry were responded to by Hassaan ibn
Saabit . Abu Sufyaan’s son, Ja‘far, was also with him.
‘Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah was also the cousin of Rasulullah . He
was the son of Rasulullah’s  aunt, ‘Aatikah bint ‘Abdul-Muttalib. He was
also a very bitter opponent of Rasulullah . They both wanted to meet
Rasulullah  but because they had inflicted untold suffering on him, he
turned away from them and did not permit them to meet him. Umme Salamah
 interceded on their behalf and said: “O Rasulullah ! One is your
uncle’s son and the other is your aunt’s son.” He replied: “I have no need to meet
them. My uncle’s son humiliated me. As for my aunt’s son, he is the one who had
said to me while I was in Makkah: ‘By Allah! I will never believe in you till you get
a ladder going up to the heavens and I see you climbing up with my very own eyes,
and then you come down with a mandate from above, and that four angels come
down with you and bear testimony that Allah has appointed you as His Messenger.
Even then, I do not think that I will believe in you.’”
Umme Salamah  replied: “O Rasulullah! It is hoped of your noble
character that both your cousins will not be deprived of your favour. When your
mercy and pardon is so wide-spread, why should these two be deprived?”
On the other side, Abu Sufyaan said: “If you do not permit me entry in your
court, I will take my son, Ja‘far, to a desert and die there out of hunger and thirst.”
Chapter 23 477
On hearing the intercession of Umme Salamah  and the remorse of these

two, Rasulullah  permitted them to meet him. The moment they entered,
they embraced Islam and joined the Muslims heading towards Makkah.
Hadhrat Ali  advised Abu Sufyaan to stand before the blessed
countenance of Rasulullah  and to say the words that the brothers of
Yusuf  had said in the presence of Yusuf :
ۡ ٰ ‫ﻗﺎﻟ ۡﻮا ﺗﺎﷲ ﻟﻘ ْﺪ ٰاﺛﺮك اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻨﺎ و ا ۡن ﻛﻨﺎ ﻟ‬

﴾۹۱﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻄ‬ ‫ﺨ‬

“We take an oath by Allah that Allah has certainly given you superiority over us.
And surely we are in error.” [Surah Yusuf, verse 91]
Hadhrat Ali  advised Abu Sufyaan to approach Rasulullah  from
the front so that the humility of his illustrious countenance would come as a
barrier between him and his reprimand. This is what happened and the mercy to
the worlds  and the embodiment of modesty  uttered these
words in reply:
ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ‫ﻗﺎل ﻻ ﺗ ْﺜﺮﻳ ۡﺐ ﻋﻠ‬

‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﺣ‬ ٰ ‫ وﻫﻮ ا ْرﺣﻢ‬N‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
‫اﻟﺮ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻔ‬‫ﻐ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ MN ‫م‬‫ﻮ‬ْ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻢ‬‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻴ‬

“There is no reproach on you today. May Allah forgive you, and He is the most
merciful of those who show mercy.”[Surah Yusuf, verse 92]
Abu Sufyaan’s  repentance was accepted, and in accordance with the
prophetic teaching “Islam wipes out all that was committed before embracing
Islam”, his heart became so purified that no filth whatsoever remained in it. The
qualities of Imaan, righteousness, sincerity and conviction were pounded into fine
bits and filled into his heart in such a manner that no dust or atom of unbelief
could reach into his heart. From that very time he joined Rasulullah  in
order to sacrifice his life for the cause of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
.
It is said that as long as Rasulullah  remained in their midst, Abu
Sufyaan  did not look at him directly in the face out of modesty. Rasulullah
 used to give him the glad tidings of Jannah. May Allah be pleased with
him.
Abu Sufyaan  also said a few lines of poetry as a way of seeking
forgiveness for his past crimes.
َ ُ َ َ َّ ُ
‫ت خ ۡيل م َّم ٖد‬
ِ K‫لَغلب خيل ال‬ ‫لعمرك إن يوم أحل رأية‬
َ ‫هدى‬
ۡ ‫واهتد‬ ٰ ُ ُ َ
‫ِي‬ ‫فهذا أوان حي ا‬ ‫كلمدلج اليان أظلم لله‬
“By your life! The day when I carried the flag so that the army of Laat may
overpower the army of Muhammad. Then on that day I was like a person who is
walking agitatedly and perturbed in a dark night. Now the time has come that I am
given guidance (by Allah Ta’ala) and I am following this guidance.”
After ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah  embraced Islam, his condition became
such that due to modesty, he was unable to look at Rasulullah  directly in
the face.
Stopping over at Marruz-Zahraan

Rasulullah  then left Kadid and reached Marruz-Zahraan at Isha time. On
reaching there, he got off and ordered that each person should light a fire outside
his tent. This was an old Arab custom. Rasulullah  ordered the Muslims
to do so accordingly. Due to their breaking the treaty, the Quraysh were on their
guard as to when Rasulullah  would attack them. Abu Sufyaan, Budayl
ibn Warqaa’ and Hakeem ibn Hizam therefore set forth from Makkah in order to
obtain whatever information they could. When they came close to Marruz-
Zahraan, they saw the army there and became concerned. Abu Sufyaan asked:
“What fires are these?” Budayl replied: “These are the fires of the Banu Khuzaa‘ah.”
Abu Sufyaan replied: “How can the Banu Khuzaa‘ah have such a large army? They
are very small in number.”
The moment the night watchmen of Rasulullah  saw these three
people, they apprehended them. They asked them as to who they were, and they
replied that Rasulullah  and his companions were among them. While
they were still conversing, ‘Abbaas  was on the donkey of Rasulullah
 moving about. He recognised the voice of Abu Sufyaan  and said:
“How sorrowful for you, O Abu Sufyaan! This is the army of Rasulullah .
By Allah, if he is victorious over you, he will chop off your neck. It would be better
for the Quraysh if you seek peace from him and agree to obey him.” Abu Sufyaan
 says: “On hearing this voice, I turned in that direction until I found ‘Abbaas
. I said to him: ‘O Abu al-Fadl! May my parents be sacrificed for you. How
can I save myself and what is the way out?’” ‘Abbaas  replied: “Climb onto
this donkey with me. I will take you to Rasulullah  in order to seek
asylum for you.” ‘Abbaas  took him and left while showing him around the
Muslim army.
When they passed by ‘Umar  and the latter saw him, he jumped up and
said: “This is Abu Sufyaan, the enemy of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
Chapter 23 479
. All praise is due to Allah that he has fallen into my hands without any
peace agreement.” ‘Umar  was on foot while ‘Abbaas  and Abu
Sufyaan were moving swiftly on the donkey. ‘Umar  unsheathed his sword
and ran behind them. He reached Rasulullah  and said: “O Rasulullah!
Abu Sufyaan, the enemy of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger , has fallen
into my hands without any peace agreement. Permit me to kill him.” ‘Abbaas
 said: “O Rasulullah ! I have given him asylum.”
‘Umar  remained standing with his sword and made the same request
several times. He was waiting for a sign from Rasulullah  to carry out
what he wanted. ‘Abbaas  said: “O ‘Umar! Wait a bit. If he was from the
Banu ‘Adiyy tribe you would not have been so hasty in wanting to kill him.
Because he is from the Banu ‘Abdu Manaaf, you are so persistent in wanting to kill
him.” ‘Umar  replied: “O ‘Abbaas! I take an oath by Allah Ta’ala that I was
more happy with your embracing Islam than even that of my own father, Khattaab.
Had my father embraced Islam, I would not have experienced the happiness that I
experienced when you embraced Islam. This is because I knew very well that
Rasulullah  would be more happy with your Islam than the Islam of
Khattaab. This is the high position in which I hold you. However, you can think
whatever you wish of me.”
Rasulullah  ordered ‘Abbaas  to take Abu Sufyaan to his tent
and to bring him back the next morning. Abu Sufyaan remained in the tent the
entire night while Hakeem ibn Hizaam and Budayl ibn Warqaa’ presented
themselves before Rasulullah  and embraced Islam. Rasulullah 
remained with them for some time asking them about the present conditions in
Makkah. After embracing Islam, they both returned to Makkah in order to inform
the people of Makkah of Rasulullah’s  arrival.
Abu Sufyaan embraces Islam

The following morning, ‘Abbaas  took Abu Sufyaan to Rasulullah .
He addressed Abu Sufyaan saying: “O Abu Sufyaan! Has the time not come for you
to believe that there is none worthy of worship except Allah?” He replied: “May my
parents be sacrificed for you. You are extremely forbearing, kind and one who
maintains family ties. I take an oath by Allah that had there been any deity apart
from Him, he would have benefited us today and I would have sought his help
against you.” Rasulullah  said: “O Abu Sufyaan! Has the time not come
that you recognise me as the Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “May my parents be
sacrificed for you. You are extremely forbearing, kind and one who maintains
family ties. You are still showing your kindness. Despite my enmity towards you,
you are still showing your kindness to me. I have a slight doubt with regard to you
being a Prophet or not.”
After ‘Abbaas  explained to him, Abu Sufyaan  embraced Islam.
After this, ‘Abbaas  said: “O Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufyaan is from among
the leaders of Makkah. He likes position. Therefore give him something that would
be a source of honour, nobility and distinction for him.” Rasulullah 
replied: “Certainly, make this announcement that whoever enters the house of Abu
Sufyaan  will be safe.” Abu Sufyaan  said: “O Messenger of Allah! How
will all the people fit in my house?” Rasulullah  replied: “Whoever enters
the Sacred Masjid will also be safe.” Abu Sufyaan  said: “O Messenger of
Allah! Even the Masjid will not be sufficient.” Rasulullah  replied: “Okay,
whoever enters his house and keeps his door shut will also be safe.” Abu Sufyaan
 replied: “Yes, there is much leniency and expansion in this.”
When Rasulullah  began preparations to depart from Marruz-
Zahraan, he ordered ‘Abbaas  to take Abu Sufyaan  to the mountain
pass so that he would be able to see the Muslim army in full view. Consequently,
when the different tribes began passing him in groups after groups, he was left
astounded and said to ‘Abbaas : “The kingdom of your nephew has really
grown.” ‘Abbaas  replied: “This is not kingship. Rather, it is prophet-hood.”
As each tribe used to pass by, Abu Sufyaan  would ask as to who that
particular tribe was. Khaalid ibn Waleed  was the first to pass by with an
army of 900 to 1000. After him, various tribes passed by. Eventually, the group of
Rasulullah , embellished with inner and outer power passed by with a
fully armed group of the Muhaajireen and Ansaar. The flag of the Muhaajireen was
carried by Zubayr  while that of the Ansaar was carried by Sa‘d ibn
‘Ubaadah . When the latter passed by and saw Abu Sufyaan , he was
overtaken by zeal and shouted out:
‫الوم يوم الملحمة الوم تستحل الكعبة‬

“Today is the day of fighting. Today, fighting and killing in the Ka‘bah will be
lawful.”
On hearing this, Abu Sufyaan  became alarmed and asked about the identity
of these people. Hadhrat ‘Abbaas  replied that it comprised of the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar together with Rasulullah .
When Rasulullah  passed by, Abu Sufyaan  asked: “O
Rasulullah ! Have you ordered Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah  to kill your
people?” He then quoted the words that Sa‘d  had uttered and said: “O
Rasulullah ! I ask you in the name of Allah and our family ties, for you
Chapter 23 481
are the one who is most cognisant of maintaining family ties.” Rasulullah
 replied:
ّٰ
‫ فيه قريشا‬4‫يا أبا سفيان الوم يوم المرحة يعز ا‬
“O Abu Sufyaan! Today is the day of mercy, in which Allah will honour the
Quraysh.”
Rasulullah  said:
ّٰ
‫ فيه الكعبة ويوم تكس فيه‬4‫كذب سعد ولكن هذا يوم يعظم ا‬
‫الكعبة‬
“Sa‘d is wrong. Today is the day in which Allah Ta’ala will honour the Ka‘bah and
the Ka‘bah will be given a covering.”
Rasulullah  then ordered that the flag be taken from Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah
 and be given to his son, Qays.
When Rasulullah  was passing by, a Qurayshi woman said the
following lines of poetry:
َ َ
‫ تسي الآء حي‬O‫َو‬ ُّ ‫ك لا‬
‫ح قريش‬ ‫يَا نب الهدى إل‬
ٰ ََ
‫وعداهم إل السمآء إن‬ ‫ضاقت عل ۡي ِه ۡم سعة الرض‬
‫بأهل الجون والطحاء‬ ‫سعدا يريد قاصمة الظهر‬
“O Prophet of guidance! The Quraysh have sought refuge in you when this is not the
time to seek refuge. This is the time when the wide earth constricted upon them and
Allah (the lord of the heavens) became their enemy. Surely Sa‘d wants to break the
back of the people of Hajun and Batha’ (places in Makkah).”
Abu Sufyaan  then left Rasulullah  and hastened towards Makkah.
On reaching there, he made the following announcement: “Muhammad is coming
with an army. It is my opinion that there is no one who can fight against him.
Embrace Islam and you will remain in peace. The person who enters the Sacred
Masjid will be safe. The person who enters my house will be safe. The person who
shuts himself in his house or surrenders his weapons will be safe.” His wife,
Hindah, caught him by his moustache and announced: “O Banu Kinaanah! This old
man has become mad and stupid. He does not even know what he is saying.” She
uttered many other abusive words to him. Many people gathered around them.
Abu Sufyaan  said to them: “Such utterances will not help in any way. O
people! Don’t be deluded by this woman.”
“There is no one who can fight Muhammad . The person who
enters the Sacred Masjid is safe. The person who enters my house is also safe.” The
people replied: “O foolish one! How many people can fit into your house?” Abu
Sufyaan replied: “The person who shuts himself in his house is also safe.”
Abu Sufyaan  addressed his wife saying: “It is best that you also
embrace Islam or else you will be killed. Go into your house and shut your door. I
am speaking the truth.” On hearing all this, the people began rushing to the Sacred
Masjid while others ran towards their homes.
Entry into Makkah

Rasulullah  then entered Makkah from the direction of Kada’. On
entering Makkah, he fully showed his respect and honour to the Ka‘bah. He entered
with humility, with his head bowing down. He did not enter haughtily like kings.
‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal  narrates: “I saw Rasulullah  on the day
of the conquest of Makkah. He was sitting on his camel and reciting Surah al-Fatah
in a beautiful tone.”
At the time of this great conquest, together with Rasulullah  being
extremely happy and in high spirits, the effects of humility, modesty and
tranquillity were also visible on his face. He was sitting on his camel. His head was
lowered out of humility to such an extent that his blessed beard was touching the
saddle. His servant, Usaamah ibn Zaid  was sitting with him.
Anas  narrates that when Rasulullah  entered Makkah as a
conqueror, all the people were looking at him but he had his face lowered out of
humility.
Abu Sa’eed Khudri  narrates that on the day of the conquest of Makkah,
Rasulullah  said: “This is the day which Allah Ta’ala had promised me.”
He then recited Surah Nasr.
Rasulullah  was thinking over the fact that there was a time when he
had to emigrate from this city in a state of weakness and poverty. He had left all
alone without the knowledge of the enemy. Now the time has come that through
the help and assistance of Allah Ta’ala, he is entering the same city with much
power and authority as a conqueror. This is the bounty of Allah Ta’ala which He
bestows to whomever He wills.
It is for this reason that Rasulullah’s  head was lowered and placed
on the saddle – prostrating before Allah Ta’ala out of gratitude. Out of his extreme
happiness, he was reciting Surah Fatah and Surah Nasr in a very beautiful and
melodious tone. In so doing, he was saying that this clear victory, help, power and
authority are all solely the blessings of Allah Ta’ala. Truth has triumphed and
Chapter 23 483
falsehood was defeated. The light of Islam and Imaan glittered while the darkness
of disbelief was removed. The sacred land (of Makkah) was purified from the filth
of disbelief and polytheism.
Rasulullah  passed through the place of Kada’ and entered from the
upper section of Makkah. He ordered Khaalid ibn Waleed  to enter from
Kuda’ – the lower section of Makkah, and Zubayr  to enter from Kada’ – the
upper section of Makkah. He emphasised on both of them not to commence any
fighting. They should only fight the person who attacks them first. He then entered
Makkah with much respect and reverence.
When he entered Makkah, he first went to the house of Umme Hani bint Abi
Taalib . He took a bath and offered eight Rakaats of Salaah – this was the
time of chasht – mid-morning.
Umme Hani  said to Rasulullah : “O Messenger of Allah! Two
relatives of my husband have fled and sought refuge in my house. I have given
them refuge. However, my brother, Ali  wants to kill them.” Rasulullah
 replied: “I give refuge to those whom Umme Hani  has given
refuge to. Ali should not kill those two people.”
On completing his Salaah, Rasulullah  went to Shi‘b Abi Taalib, a
place where his tent was pitched. The Sahaabah  had asked Rasulullah
 a day before he could enter Makkah as to where he would stay. He
replied: “At the place where the Quraysh and Kinaanah had confined the Banu
Haashim and the Banu al-Muttalib when they had made a mutual agreement and
promise that they would sever all business dealings, marriage, etc. with the Banu
Haashim and the Banu Muttalib as long as they do not hand over Muhammad
() to them.” This place is known as Shi‘b Abi Taalib.
Abu Hurayrah  narrates that Rasulullah  summoned the
Ansaar and informed them that the Quraysh have rallied some gangsters against
them. They should therefore confine them to the orchards (outskirts) and keep
them there.
Safwaan ibn Umayyah, ‘Ikramah ibn Abi Jahal and Suhayl ibn ‘Amr gathered
some gangsters at a place called Khandamah in order to fight the Muslims. A clash
ensued between them and Khaalid ibn Waleed . Two Muslims, Khunays ibn
Khaalid ibn Rabi’ah  and Kurz ibn Jaabir Fihri , were martyred. Twelve
or thirteen people from the disbelievers were killed. The remainder all fled.
When Khaalid ibn Waleed  entered from the lower section of Makkah,
the Banu Bakr, Banu Haaris ibn ‘Abd Manaat, some people from the Hudhayl tribe
and some gangsters from the Quraysh were gathered there to fight the Muslims. As
soon as Khaalid  reached there, they gave out the battle cry. However, they
were unable to defend themselves. They were defeated and fled. About 20 from the
Banu Bakr were killed while three or four were killed from the Hudhayl tribe. The
remainder were left at a loss. Some of them concealed themselves in their houses
while others went to the mountain tops. Abu Sufyaan  made the
announcement: “The person who shuts himself in his house is safe. The person who
abstains from fighting is safe.” When Rasulullah  saw the glitter of
swords, he summoned Khaalid ibn Waleed  and asked him about what was
transpiring for he had prohibited him from fighting. He replied: “O Messenger of
Allah! I did not start the fight. I abstained from fighting, but I was forced to do so
when they attacked us.” Rasulullah  replied: “There is good in whatever
Allah Ta’ala has destined.”
Peace was established thereafter. People were guaranteed safety and they were
now at rest. When the conquest was completed, Rasulullah  entered the
Sacred Masjid.
Entering the Sacred Masjid

After the victory, Rasulullah  entered the Sacred Masjid and made
Tawaaf of the Ka‘bah. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar  narrates that when Rasulullah
 entered the Sacred Masjid, 360 idols were placed around the Ka‘bah.
Rasulullah  pointed to each one with a knife and recited the words:
ْ ْ
M‫ﻞ‬
‫ﺎﻃ‬‫ﺒ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻖ‬‫ﻫ‬‫ز‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻖ‬
‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﺟﺂء اﻟ‬

“The truth has come, and falsehood is defeated.”
On saying this, each idol began falling one after the other.
When Rasulullah  entered the Sacred Masjid, he was on his camel.
He made Tawaaf of the Ka‘bah in the same condition. On completing the Tawaaf
he summoned ‘Usmaan ibn Talhah, took the key to the Ka‘bah from him and
opened it. He saw that there were statues in it. He ordered all these to be removed.
When they were all removed and the inside of the Ka’bah was washed with zam
zam water, he went in and offered Salaah therein.
He went to all the corners of the Ka‘bah and illuminated them with the sound
of Tauheed and Takbeer (saying Allah is the greatest). Bilal  and Usaamah
 were with him at that time. On completing this, he opened the door and
stepped outside. He saw that the Sacred Masjid was filled with people and that they
were waiting for him to address them regarding the criminals and enemies. This
was the 20th of Ramadhaan. He was standing at the door of the Ka‘bah with its key
in his hand. He then delivered the following speech.
Chapter 23 485
Rasulullah  delivers a speech from the door of the

Ka‘bah
َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ّٰ َّ َ ٰ َ
‫ش ۡيك ُل َص َدق وعده ونص عبده وهزم‬
ِ O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬Oِ‫ إِل إ‬O
‫ ك مأثرة أو دم أو ما يدع فهو تت قدم هاتي‬O‫ أ‬.‫الحزاب وحده‬
‫ وقتيل الطأ شبه العمد بالسوط‬O‫ أ‬.‫ سدانة اليت وسقاية الاج‬O‫إ‬
.‫دها‬O‫والعصا ففيه الية مغلظة من البل أربعون منها ف بطونها أو‬
ّٰ
‫ قد أذهب عنكم نوة الاهلية وتعظيمها‬4‫يا معش قريش إن ا‬
‫ هذه الية‬K‫ الاس من آدم وآدم من تراب ثم ت‬.‫بالباء‬
ۡ ْ ‫ﻦ ذﻛﺮ و اﻧ ۡ ٰﺜﻲ و ﺟﻌ ْﻠ ٰﻨ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫﴿ ﻳ ﺎﻳﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﺎس اﻧﺎ ﺧﻠ ْﻘ ٰﻨ‬
‫ﻜﻢ ﺷ ﻌﻮﺑًﺎ و ﻗ ﺒﺂ‬
‫ﻞ‬
ٍ ‫ﻜﻢ ﻣ‬

ٌ ۡ ‫ ان اﷲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ ﺧﺒ‬MN‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬ ْٰ ۡ ْ ۡ
‫ﲑ ﴾ ثم قال يا‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻋﻨ ﺪ اﷲ اﺗﻘ‬
‫ ا ن اﻛﺮﻣ‬MN‫ﻟ ﺘ ﻌﺎرﻓﻮا‬

‫معش قريش ما ترون أن فاعل بكم؟ قالوا خيا أخ كريم‬
O ‫ قال فإن أقول لكم كما قال يوسف لخوته‬.‫وابن أخ كريم‬
‫تثيب عليكم الوم إذهبوا فأنتم الطلقاء‬
“There is none worthy of worship but Allah. He is alone and has no partner. He
made true His promise, helped His servant and defeated all the enemy groups by
Himself. Listen! Every custom, be it physical or monetary, which can be claimed is
now under my feet. (They are all cancelled). Except for the custodianship of the
Ka‘bah and providing zam zam water to the pilgrims. These customs will remain as
previously. Listen! The person who is mistakenly killed by a whip or by a staff, his
blood money will be 100 camels of which 40 will have to be pregnant. O group of
Quraysh! Allah Ta’ala has abolished the haughtiness of the days of ignorance and
pride over forefathers. All people are from Aadam  and Aadam  was
created from soil. He then recited this verse: ‘O people! We created you from a male
and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognise each
other. The most honourable among you in the sight of Allah is he who is most
virtuous. Surely Allah is all-knowing, fully aware.’ He then said: ‘O group of
Quraysh! What do you think I am going to do to you?’ They replied: ‘We think that
you will be good to us. You are a noble brother who is the son of a noble brother.’ He
said: ‘I am addressing you in the same manner which Yusuf  addressed his
brothers: ‘There is no reproach on you today. Go, for you are all free.’”
The custom of pride and haughtiness over one’s lineage and nobility which was
prevalent among the Arabs was put to an end in this speech of Rasulullah
. The flag of Islamic equality was raised and it was demonstrated that the
criterion for honour and nobility was only piety and virtue. Rasulullah 
was sent as a mercy to the world for the guidance of the entire universe. His sole
objective was guidance. Taking revenge from one’s enemies is the trait of kings
(and not true Prophets of Allah Ta’ala).
On completing his speech, Rasulullah  sat down in the Masjid. The
key to the Ka‘bah was in his hand. Ali  stood up and asked: “O Messenger of
Allah! Give the key to me so that together with the responsibility of providing zam
zam to the pilgrims, we will also have the honour of custodianship of the Ka‘bah.”
This verse was then revealed:
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
º ‫ اﻫﻠ ﻬﺎ‬‫ ْﻢ ان ﺗﺆ دوا اﻻ ٰﻣ ٰﻨﺖ ا‬X ‫ا ن اﷲ ﻳﺎﻣﺮ‬

“Surely Allah commands you to discharge the trusts to their recipients.”
[Surah an-Nisaa’, verse 58]
Rasulullah  called for ‘Usmaan ibn Talhah and returned the key to him.
He then said to him: “Take this key forever.” In other words, it will remain in your
family forever. “I am not giving it to you of my own accord. Rather, it is Allah who
has given it to you. None but a tyrant and a usurper will take it away from you.”
The Azaan is given at the door of the Ka‘bah

When it was the time for Zuhr Salaah, Rasulullah  ordered Bilal  to
climb the door of the Ka‘bah and call out the Azaan. The Quraysh of Makkah saw
this extraordinary and strange scene of the clear victory of this true religion from
the mountain tops of Makkah.
The leaders of the Quraysh who could not see the humiliation of disbelief and
polytheism and the honour of the true religion, hid their faces in shame. Abu
Sufyaan, ‘Itaab, Khaalid, Usayd, Haaris ibn Hishaam (who embraced Islam later on)
and other Quraysh leaders were sitting in the courtyard of the Ka‘bah. ‘Itaab and
Khaalid said: “Allah honoured our forefathers by taking them away from this
world before they could hear this call (of the Azaan).” Haaris said: “I take an oath
by Allah that if I were convinced that you are on the truth, I would certainly follow
you.” Abu Sufyaan said: “I am maintaining silence. If I were to utter anything,
these pebbles would inform him thereof.” Rasulullah  was informed of all
Chapter 23 487
these conversations through revelation from Allah Ta’ala. When he passed by these
people he said to them: “I have been informed through revelation all that you have
been speaking.” He then related to them all that they had been speaking. Haaris and
‘Itaab said: “We bear testimony that you are certainly the Messenger of Allah for
none of us informed you of what we were conversing. (We thereby conclude that it
was Allah alone who informed His Messenger of all that we were speaking.)”
After ‘Itaab ibn Usayd embraced Islam, Rasulullah  appointed him as
the governor of Makkah. He was 21 years old at that time. Rasulullah 
stipulated that he should receive one dirham per day for his personal expenses. It
was on this that ‘Itaab said:
ّٰ
‫ كبد من جاع < درهم‬4‫أيها الاس أجاع ا‬
“O people! May Allah keep that liver hungry which remains hungry on one
dirham.”
He remained the governor of Makkah till the demise of Rasulullah .
When Abu Bakr  became the caliph, he maintained him as the governor. He
passed away on the same day that Abu Bakr  passed away.
At the time when Bilal  climbed on the door of the Ka‘bah in order to
call out the Azaan, Abu Mahdhurah Jumahi and a few youngsters began imitating
the Azaan. Abu Mahdhurah had a very beautiful and loud voice. His imitation of
the Azaan reached the ears of Rasulullah . He summoned the entire
group of youngsters and asked them as to whose voice he had heard. They all
pointed towards Abu Mahdhurah. Rasulullah  asked all of them except
Abu Mahdhurah to leave. The latter remained standing before Rasulullah
 with the firm conviction that he would be killed. Rasulullah 
ordered him to call out the Azaan. He did so with much fear. When he completed,
Rasulullah  gave him a pouch in which were some dirhams. Rasulullah
 then passed his blessed hands on his head, forehead, chest, heart and till
his navel. He then made this dua for him: “May Allah bless you and may Allah
shower His blessings on you.”
Abu Mahdhurah says: “No sooner had Rasulullah  passed his hand
over me, all my antagonism towards him was changed into affection. My heart was
filled with love for him and I said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Appoint me as
the muazzin of Makkah.’ Rasulullah  replied: ‘I appoint you as the
muazzin of Makkah.’ I went to ‘Itaab ibn Usayd , the governor of Makkah,
and informed him thereof. I then continued calling out the Azaan in accordance
with the instruction of Rasulullah .’” He remained in Makkah throughout
his life and continued calling out the Azaan till his death. He passed away in 59
A.H. in Makkah.
Abu Mahdhurah  was 16 years old when he was appointed as a Muazzin

and remained so till his death. When he passed away, his progeny took the
responsibility of calling out the Azaan and this continued from generation to
generation.
A poet says the following with regard to his Azaan:
‫ ممد من سورة‬K‫وما ت‬ ‫أما ورب الكعبة المستورة‬
‫لفعلن فعلة المذكورة‬ ‫والغمات من أب مذورة‬
“By the oath of the Ka‘bah which is covered and the chapters of the Qur-aan which
Muhammad  recited. By the oath of the beautiful Azaan of Abu
Mahdhurah, I will certainly do such and such task.”
On completing the Tawaaf, Rasulullah  went to Mt. Safa, faced the
Ka‘bah remained in dua and praising Allah Ta’ala for a long time. A group of
Ansaar were also present. Some of them said: “Allah Ta’ala enabled Rasulullah
 to conquer his city and homeland. It may well be that he will decide to
remain behind and settle down in this city and not come back to Madinah.” They
continued speaking in this vein when they saw the effects of divine revelation on
Rasulullah’s  countenance. It was the habit of the Sahaabah  that
when divine revelation was coming to Rasulullah , they would not look
at him. When the revelation was completed, he said: “O Ansaar! Is this what you
said?” They replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He replied: “Understand this well
that this can never happen. I am the servant and Messenger of Allah Ta’ala. I
emigrated by the command of Allah Ta’ala. My life is your life and my death is
your death.” On hearing this, the Ansaar began crying and said: “O Messenger of
Allah! We feared that the light which lit us will be taken away from us. We are
servants who are prepared to sacrifice our lives (for Allah Ta’ala and His
Messenger ) and we are prepared to give preference to others over our
own selves. But we are extremely miserly when it comes to Allah Ta’ala and His
Messenger . (We are not prepared to share them with anyone else).”
,
z 2 ¡
¢T { U # V
I am in love with your being not with your shadow,
when I am infatuated with you I end up having thousands of doubts
Rasulullah  replied: “Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger consider you to be
true in this regard and excuse you in this regard.”
Chapter 23 489
Pledge of allegiance from men and women

On completing his duas, Rasulullah  remained sitting on Mt. Safa. People
gathered in order to pledge allegiance to him. Rasulullah  accepted their
pledge on obedience to Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger . From the men
he took the pledge of Islam and obedience to Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
 according to each one’s capability. Some Ahaadith state that from the
men he took the pledge of Islam and Jihaad. When he completed taking the pledge
from the men, he commenced with the women. From them, he took the pledge in
matters that are enumerated in the following verse:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ
‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺰ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻦ‬
ْ ْ
‫ﻗ‬‫ﺮ‬‫ﺴ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﺌ‬ً ‫ﻦ ﺑﺎﷲ ﺷ ۡﻴ‬X‫ ا ۡن ﻻ ْﺸﺮ‬¤ ‫ﻳ ﺎﻳﻬﺎ اﻟﻨ اذا ﺟﺂءك اﻟﻤ ْﺆﻣ ٰﻨﺖ ﻳﺒﺎﻳ ْﻌﻨﻚ ﻋ‬

ۡ
ۡ‫و ﻻ ﻳ ْﻘﺘ ْﻠﻦ ا ْوﻻدﻫﻦ و ﻻ ﻳﺎﺗ ۡﲔ ﺑﺒ ۡﻬﺘﺎن ﻳ ْﻔﱰﻳ ۡﻨ ٗﻪ ﺑ ۡﲔ اﻳ ۡﺪﻳ ۡﻬﻦ و ا ْرﺟﻠﻬﻦ و ﻻ ﻳ ْﻌﺼ ۡﻴﻨﻚ ﰲ‬
ٍ
ْ ْ ْ ْ
﴾ ۱۲﴿ ‫ ا ن اﷲ ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN‫اﺳﺘﻐﻔ ْﺮ ﻟ ﻬ ﻦ اﷲ‬ ‫ﻣﻌﺮ ۡو ٍف ﻓﺒﺎﻳﻌ ﻬ ﻦ و‬

“O Prophet! If believing women come to you in order to pledge to you that they will
not ascribe any partners with Allah, they will not steal, they will not commit
adultery, they will not kill their children, they will not fabricate a slander between
their hands and their feet, and that they will not disobey you in any good deed, then
accept the pledge from them and seek forgiveness for them from Allah. Surely Allah
is forgiving, merciful.” [Surah Mumtahinah, Verse 12]
The bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance) which Rasulullah  took from women
was solely verbal. His blessed hand neither touched any strange woman, nor did he
shake hands with any strange woman. Rather, he would take a pledge via a piece of
cloth. In other words, he would hold one end of a piece of cloth while the woman
would hold the other end.
At times, when taking a pledge from women he would ask for a cup of water
and dip his blessed hand in it. He would then ask the women to dip their hands
into it. They would do so and in so doing the pledge would be reinforced.
Some of the Qurayshi women who gave their pledge at that time are as
follows:
1. Umme Hani bint Abi Taalib , i.e. the sister of Ali .
2. Umme Habibah bint ‘Aas ibn Umayyah , the wife of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd
Aamiri.
3. Arwah bint Abi al-‘Is , the paternal aunt of ‘Itaab ibn Usayd.
4. ‘Aatikah bint Abi al-‘Is , the sister of Arwah.
5. Hindah bint ‘Utbah , the wife of Abu Sufyaan and the mother of
Mu’aawiyah .
When Hindah  presented herself for the pledge, she placed a veil over her
face. She was the one who had ordered Hamzah  to be killed and she was the
one who cut open his chest and chewed his liver. It was out of her shame and
remorse that she covered her face and presented herself so that she may not be
recognised. The story of her pledge is as follows:
Hindah : “O Rasulullah ! With regard to what are you taking
a pledge and covenant from us?”
Rasulullah : “To abstain from taking partners with Allah Ta’ala.”
Hindah : “O Rasulullah ! You are taking a pledge from us with
regard to things which you did not take from the men. Nevertheless, we accept
this.”
Rasulullah : “And that you do not steal.”
Hindah : “I take some things from my husband’s (Abu Sufyaan) wealth.
I do not know whether this is considered to be stealing or not.” Abu Sufyaan 
was present there at that time. He said: “Whatever has passed is forgiven.”
Rasulullah  said: “You may take from your husband’s wealth according
to your basic necessities and what would be sufficient for you. This should be
according to the norm whereby it will be according to your necessities and your
children’s necessities.”
Rasulullah : “And that you do not commit adultery.”
Hindah : “What! Can a noble woman ever commit adultery?!”
Rasulullah : “And that you do not kill your children.”
Hindah : “We brought them up when they were small and you killed
them on the day of Badr when they were big. So that is between you and them.”
On hearing this, ‘Umar  began laughing.
Rasulullah : “And that you do not slander anyone.”
Hindah : “By Allah, it is extremely detestable to slander anyone. And
you are the one who is commanding us with righteousness and noble qualities and
character.”
Rasulullah : “And that you do not disobey or refuse to comply to
any good deed.”
Hindah : “We did not come here even with this thought of disobeying
you.”
Rasulullah  asked ‘Umar  to take the pledge from her. After
the pledge, Rasulullah  made dua for her forgiveness.
After embracing Islam, Hindah  said: “O Messenger of Allah! Before
embracing Islam, there was not any face that was more detestable in my sight, and
Chapter 23 491
I did not harbour any enmity towards anyone more than you. But now, there is no
face that is more beloved to me.” Rasulullah  replied: “Your love for me
will now increase.”
Rasulullah’s  second speech

After the conquest of Makkah, a person from the Khuzaa’ah tribe killed a
disbeliever from the Huzayl tribe. When Rasulullah  heard about this, he
gathered the Sahaabah , stood on Mt. Safa and delivered the following
speech:
ّٰ
‫ حرم مكة يوم خلق السماوات والرض فه‬4‫يا أيها الاس إن ا‬
ّٰ
‫ والوم الخر أن‬4‫مرئ يؤمن با‬O ‫ يل‬K‫حرام إ¯ يوم القيامة ف‬
O‫ يعضد فيها شجرة ولم تلل لحد كن قبل و‬O‫يسفك فيها دما و‬
< ‫ هذه الساعة غضبا‬O‫تل لحد يكون بعدي ولم تلل ¯ إ‬
‫ ثم قد رجعت كحرمتها بالمس فليبلغ الشاهد منكم‬O‫أهلها أ‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم قاتل فيها‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫الغائب فمن قال لكم إن رسول ا‬
ّٰ
‫ قد أحلها لرسول ولم يللها لكم يا معش خزاعة‬4‫فقولوا إن ا‬
‫ لديته‬K‫ارفعوا أيديكم عن القتل فلقد كث القتل لقد قتلتم قتي‬
‫فمن قتل بعد مقام هذا فأهله بي الظرين إن شاءوا فدم قاتله‬
ُ
‫فعقله‬ ‫وإن شاءوا‬
“O people! Allah sanctified Makkah the day He created the heavens and the earth. It
will therefore remain sanctified till the day of resurrection. It is therefore not lawful
for a person believing in Allah Ta’ala and the last day to shed blood therein or to
uproot a tree. It was never made lawful for anyone before me nor will it be lawful
for anyone after me. It was only made lawful to me for this particular time because
of Allah’s anger on its inhabitants. It’s sanctity has now returned as it had been
previously. He who is present here should convey this to him who is not present. If
anyone tells you that the Messenger of Allah fought and killed in Makkah, tell him
that Allah Ta’ala made this lawful for him and not for you. O people of the
Khuzaa’ah! Abstain from killing for too much of killing has taken place. You have
killed a person. I will now pay his blood money. Whoever kills after this, the family
of the murdered person has the choice of either retaliating by killing the murderer
or demanding blood money.”
Rasulullah  then gave 100 camels as blood money on behalf of the person
who killed from the Khuzaa’ah tribe.
The dwellings of the Muhaajireen

The disbelievers of Makkah had taken possession of the houses, properties and
estates of the Muhaajireen. When Rasulullah  completed his sermon, he
was still standing at the door of the Ka‘bah when Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh stood up
and tried to say something about the return of his house which, on his emigration,
had been sold by Abu Sufyaan  for 400 dirhams. Rasulullah  called
him forward, said something softly to him and after which Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh
remained silent. Later on, when he was asked as to what Rasulullah  said
to him, he replied: “Rasulullah  said to me: ‘If you remain patient, it will
be better for you and in return for this you will receive a house in paradise.’ I said
to him: ‘I will remain patient.’”
Apart from him, there were other Muhaajireen who also desired that their
houses be returned to them. Rasulullah  said to them: “I do not desire
that the wealth which has gone for the cause of Allah Ta’ala be returned.” On
hearing this, the Muhaajireen remained silent and did not utter a word about the
return of the houses which they left behind for the sake of Allah Ta’ala and His
Messenger . Rasulullah  himself did not even mention the
house in which he was born and the house in which he married Khadijah .
After the year of amnesty

After the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah  made the announcement of
general amnesty. Rasulullah  completely forgave those who had scattered
thorns in his path, those who had thrown stones at him, those who were constantly
antagonistic towards him, and those who had caused his legs and feet to be covered
in blood. However, there were a few who had been extremely insolent towards
Rasulullah  and caused him much pain. With regard to these few,
Rasulullah  ordered that they should be killed wherever they are found.
This was the order of Allah Ta’ala concerning such people:
Chapter 23 493
ْ ۤ ۡ ْ
ۡ ‫ وﻟ‬N‫ﻦ ﻗ ْﺒﻞ‬
‫ﻦ ﺗﺠ ﺪ‬ ۡ ْ
‫ﺧ ﻠﻮا ﻣ‬ ‫﴾ ﺳ ﻨ ﺔ اﷲ ﰲ‬۶۱﴿ ‫ اﻳ ۡﻨﻤﺎ ﺛﻘ ﻔ ۡﻮا ا ﺧ ﺬ ۡوا وﻗ ﺘﻠ ۡﻮا ﺗﻘﺘ ۡﻴ ًﻼ‬£N N‫ﻣﻠﻌ ۡﻮﻧﲔ‬
ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ‬
‫ﻦ‬

ًۡ ْ
﴾۶۲﴿ ‫ﻟﺴ ﻨﺔ اﷲ ﺗﺒﺪﻳﻼ‬

“(They will be) cursed wherever they are found, they will be seized and put to death.
Such has been the way of Allah with those who passed away. And you will not find
Allah’s way changing.” [Surah Ahzaab, verses 61-62]
To respect and honour the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala and to help and defend him
are all incumbent duties on the entire ummah. Showing disrespect to him entails
disrespect to the religion of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ
﴾٪ ۳﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ اﻻﺑْ ﱰ‬ ‫ان ﺷﺎﻧﺌﻚ‬

“Surely he who hates you, he will be cut off (from every good in this world and in
the hereafter).” [Surah Kauthar, verse 3]
ۤ ْ ْ ْ ۤۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ۤۡ ۡ
‫ ﻻ اﻳ ۡ ﻤﺎن‬$ ‫ اﻧ‬ºN‫ﻜﻔﺮ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻓ ﻘﺎﺗﻠﻮا ا ﻤ ﺔ اﻟ‬
ۡ ۡ
‫ﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻋﻬﺪﻫ ْﻢ و ﻃ ﻌ ﻨﻮا ﰲۡ دﻳﻨ‬H ‫ ﻣ‬$ ‫ﻜ ﺜﻮا اﻳ ﻤﺎﻧ‬
ۡ
‫و ان ﻧ‬

ۡ ْ ْ ‫ﻮا اﻳ ۡﻤﺎﻧ‬ ۤۡ ۡ ْ
‫ﻫ ۡﻢ‬
‫اﻟﺮ ﺳﻮل و‬ ‫ و ﻫ ﻤ ۡﻮا ﺑﺎﺧﺮاج‬$ ‫ﻜ ﺜ‬
‫﴾ ا ﻻ ﺗ ﻘﺎﺗﻠ ۡﻮن ﻗ ْﻮ ًﻣﺎ ﻧ‬۱۲﴿ ‫ ﻳﻨﺘ ﻬ ۡﻮن‬$ ْ ‫ﻟ‬
‫ ﻟﻌ ﻠ‬$

ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺨﺸ ْﻮه ا ۡن‬ ْ ۡ ْ ‫ﺨﺸ ْﻮﻧ‬ ْ ْ ‫ﺑﺪء ۡو‬
﴾۱۳﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻛﻨ ﺘﻢ ﻣ ﺆﻣﻨ‬ ‫ ﻓﺎﷲ اﺣ ﻖ ان ﺗ‬N$ ‫ اﺗ‬MN‫ﻛﻢ ا و ل ﻣ ﺮ ٍة‬

“If they break their oaths after having concluded a covenant, and criticise your
religion, then fight against the ringleaders of disbelief – surely their oaths are
nothing – so that they may desist. What! Will you not fight against a people who
break their oaths, who are intent on expelling the Messenger, and attacked you
first? Do you fear them? It is Allah whom you ought to fear more, if you have
Imaan.” [Surah Taubah, verses 12-13]
In other words, the believers should have no hesitation whatsoever in killing those
who merely intended and tried to expel the Messenger of Allah . The
believers should not fear their outward strength and material power and means.
They should fear Allah Ta’ala alone. They should be prepared to sacrifice their lives
and wealth in the defence of Rasulullah .
There were about 15-16 people regarding whom Rasulullah  had
issued the command that they should be killed wherever they are found. Details
concerning some of them are as follows:
1. ‘Abdullah ibn Khatl: He had become a Muslim. Rasulullah  appointed
him as a tax collector and sent him in order to collect zakaah. A slave and a
Christian were with him on the journey. On reaching a particular point on the
journey, he asked the slave to prepare some food. The slave fell asleep. When he
got up, ‘Abdullah saw that the food was not prepared as yet. He was overtaken by
anger and killed the slave. He then realised that Rasulullah  would
certainly kill him in retaliation for killing this slave. He therefore became an
apostate, went to Makkah and joined the ranks of the disbelievers. He also took the
camel of zakaah with him. He used to compile poetry in disgrace of Rasulullah
 and order his slave women to sing these poems. He thus committed
three crimes: (1) he shed innocent blood, (2) he became an apostate, (3) he compiled
poetry in disgrace of Rasulullah . When Makkah was conquered,
‘Abdullah ibn Khatl went and held on to the veils of the Ka‘bah. Rasulullah
 was informed of this. He replied that he should be killed at that very
place. Abu Barzah Aslami and Sa‘d ibn Hurayth advanced and killed him. His head
was chopped off at the place between the Black Stone and the Maqaam-e-
Ibraaheem.
2. and 3. Qurtana and Quraybah: These two were the slave women of Ibn Khatl.
They used to sing poems by night and day in which they would disgrace Rasulullah
. When the disbelievers of Makkah gathered in any assembly, alcohol
would be passed around and these two women would sing these poems disgracing
Rasulullah . One of these women was killed. The other made peace with
Rasulullah  and embraced Islam.
4. Saarrah: She was a slave woman belonging to someone from the Banu Muttalib.
She also used to sing poems disgracing Rasulullah . Some are of the
opinion that she was killed while others state that she embraced Islam and that she
lived till the caliphate of ‘Umar . She was the woman who was carrying the
letter of Haatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah  to Makkah.
5. Huwayrith ibn Naqid: He was a poet who used to compose poems disgracing
Rasulullah . He therefore had to be killed. He was killed by Ali .
6. Maqis ibn Subaabah: He had become a Muslim. In the battle of Zi Qird, a
Christian killed his brother Hishaam, after incorrectly assuming the latter to be
from among the enemies. Rasulullah  ordered that blood money be paid.
After accepting the blood money, Maqis killed the Christian, became an apostate
and proceeded to Makkah. On the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah 
announced that it was lawful to kill him. Abdullah Laythi killed him. While Maqis
was going into the market place, he was captured and killed.
7. ‘Abdullah ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Surh: Previously he was one of the scribes of
Rasulullah . He used to record divine revelation for Rasulullah
. He became an apostate and joined the disbelievers. He was the foster
brother of ‘Usmaan . On the conquest of Makkah, he concealed himself in
order to save his life. ‘Usmaan  seized him and presented him before
Rasulullah  who, at that time, was taking the pledge of allegiance from
Chapter 23 495
the people. ‘Usmaan  said: “O Messenger of Allah! ‘Abdullah is present here.

Take the pledge of allegiance from him as well.” Rasulullah  remained
silent for some time. Eventually, when ‘Usmaan  made this request several
times, Rasulullah  took the pledge from him and he embraced Islam.
After his life was saved, Rasulullah  said to the Sahaabah : “There
was none among you who was sharp enough – when I held back my hand from
accepting ‘Abdullah’s pledge, one of you should have got up and killed him.”
Someone replied: “O Messenger of Allah! Why did you not indicate to us (through
some subtle indication) at that time?” He replied: “It is not permitted for a Prophet
to make subtle indications.”
On this occasion, ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Surh embraced Islam with sincerity and
became a good practising Muslim. He was appointed as the governor of Egypt and
other places during the caliphate of ‘Umar  and ‘Usmaan . During the
caliphate of ‘Usmaan , the conquest of Africa in 27 or 28 A.H. was largely
due to him. When the spoils of war were distributed, each person received 3000
dinars. When there was much internal strife, after the death of ‘Usmaan ,
‘Abdullah remained aloof from the conflict. He did not give his pledge of allegiance
to either Ali  or to Mu’aawiyah . He passed away in ‘Asqalaan towards
the latter part of Mu’aawiyah’s  caliphate. There is a strange incident
concerning his death. One morning, he got up and made this supplication:
‫اللهم اجعل آخر عمل الصبح‬

“O Allah! Make it such that my last deed is in the morning.”
He performed wudhu and read the Salaah. At the end of the Salaah, he turned to
his right and was about to turn to his left when his soul left his body. To Allah we
belong and to Him is our return. May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with him.
8. ‘Ikramah ibn Abi Jahal: He was also from among those people whom Rasulullah
 had permitted to be killed on the conquest of Makkah. ‘Ikramah was the
son of Abu Jahal. Like his father, he was a bitter enemy of Rasulullah .
After the conquest of Makkah, he escaped to Yemen. His wife, Ummu Hakeem bint
Haaris ibn Hishaam embraced Islam. She presented herself before Rasulullah
 and asked him for sanctuary for her husband. The mercy to the worlds
and the embodiment of pardon, Muhammad , immediately acceded to
her request for sanctuary for the son of Abu Jahal.
‘Ikramah had escaped and reached the coast of Yemen. He boarded a ship
and no sooner he did so, fierce winds encompassed the ship. ‘Ikramah called out to
Laat and ‘Uzza (two idols) for help. The people on the ship told him that Laat and
‘Uzza will be of no help to him now. He should rather call out to one Allah.
‘Ikramah said: “If none but Allah can come to our help when we are out at sea,
then you should understand well that even on land none but Allah can come to our
help.” He immediately made a true promise to Allah Ta’ala by saying:
ّٰ
‫اللهم لك عهد إن عفيتن مما أنا فيه أن آت ممدا حت أضع يدي‬
‫ف يده فلجدنه عفوا غفورا كريما‬
“O Allah! I make a promise to You that if You save me from this calamity, I will
certainly present myself before Muhammad () and place my hand in his
hand. I will certainly find him to be pardoning, forgiving and kind.”
In the meantime, his wife also reached there and called out:
O ‫يا ابن عم جئتك من عند أبر الاس وأوصل الاس وخي الاس‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫تهلك نفسك إن قد استأمنت لك رسول ا‬
“O cousin! I have come to you from the most virtuous of people, from the person who
is most mindful of maintaining family ties, and from the best of people. Do not
destroy yourself. I have certainly sought sanctuary for you from the Messenger of
Allah.”
On hearing this, ‘Ikramah joined Ummu Hakeem. On the way, he desired to have
conjugal relations with her. She replied: “You are still a disbeliever while I am a
Muslim.” ‘Ikramah said: “What a great force is controlling you.” On saying this, he
headed towards Makkah. Before he could even reach Makkah, Rasulullah
 said to the Sahaabah :
‫ تسبوا أباه فإن سب الميت يؤذي الح‬K‫يأتيكم عكرمة مؤمنا ف‬

“’Ikramah is going to come to you as a believer. You should therefore not speak ill of
his father because speaking ill of a dead person causes hurt to the one who is
living.”
‘Ikramah came in the presence of Rasulullah  and stood before him. His
wife was with him. She was veiled and stood aside. He then said to Rasulullah
: “This is my wife. She has informed me that you have given sanctuary to
me.” Rasulullah  replied: “She has spoken the truth. I give you
sanctuary.” ‘Ikramah said: “What do you invite towards?” Rasulullah 
replied: “You should testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, He is
one, there is no deity apart from Him, and that I am His Messenger, and that you
establish Salaah and pay the zakaah.” Rasulullah  enumerated a few
other things as well. ‘Ikramah replied:
Chapter 23 497
‫ إ¯ الي وأمر حسن جيل قد كنت فينا يا‬O‫ تدعو إ‬O ‫قد كنت‬
ّٰ
‫ قبل أن تدعونا وأنت أصدقنا حديثا وأبرنا‬4‫رسول ا‬
“Without doubt you only invite towards good and to matters that are good and
liked. O Messenger of Allah! Even before commencing this call you were the most
truthful of us in speech and the most virtuous of us.”
He then said: “I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship and that
Muhammad  is His servant and His Messenger.”
After saying this, ‘Ikramah  said: “I make Allah Ta’ala and all those who
are present over here witness that I am a Muslim, a Mujaahid and a Muhaajir.” O
Messenger of Allah ! I make this request to you that you seek forgiveness
for me. Rasulullah  sought forgiveness for him. He then said: “O
Messenger of Allah! I take an oath in the name of Allah Ta’ala that I am now going
to spend double the amount in inviting towards Allah Ta’ala as opposed to what I
spent in leading others away from Allah Ta’ala, and that I am now going to fight
double the amount for the cause of Allah Ta’ala as opposed to what I fought
against Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger . I am now going to go to all
those places where I had stopped people from going towards Allah Ta’ala and will
now invite them towards Allah Ta’ala.”
When Abu Bakr  dispatched an army to fight the apostates, he sent one
battalion under the command of ‘Ikramah . In short, he spent the rest of his
life in waging Jihaad against the enemies of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
. He was martyred during the caliphate of Abu Bakr  in the battle
of Ajnadayn. His body suffered more than seventy sword and arrow wounds.
Umme Salamah  narrates that on one occasion Rasulullah 
saw in a dream that there was a place for Abu Jahal in paradise. When ‘Ikramah
 embraced Islam, Rasulullah  said to Umme Salamah  that
this is the meaning of that dream.
After embracing Islam, ‘Ikramah  was such that when he used to recite
the Qur-aan, he would cry profusely and fall unconscious. He would repeatedly
say: “This is the speech of my Rabb, this is the speech of my Rabb.”
It is narrated in one Hadeeth that on the conquest of Makkah, a Muslim was
martyred at the hands of ‘Ikramah . When Rasulullah  was
informed of this, he began smiling and said: “The killer and the one who was killed
are both in Jannah.”
Rasulullah  was making reference to the fact that although ‘Ikramah
is a disbeliever at present, he will soon embrace Islam.
9. Hubar ibn al-Aswad: His crime was that he used to impose many difficulties
and hardships on the Muslims. When Rasulullah’s  daughter, Zaynab
, who was married to Abul-’Aas ibn Rabi‘, was emigrating from Makkah to
Madinah, then Hubar ibn al-Aswad together with some of his cronies ambushed
her and struck her with a spear on account of which she fell onto a rock. She was
pregnant at that time. She lost her child and she herself passed away from the
illness that followed this fall.
On the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah  announced that it was
permissible to kill him. When Rasulullah  returned from Ji‘irraanah,
Hubar presented himself before Rasulullah . The Sahaabah  said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Here is Hubar ibn al-Aswad. Rasulullah  replied
that he saw him. One of those who were present got up to strike Hubar. Rasulullah
 indicated to him to sit down. Hubar then stood up and said:
“Peace be upon you O Prophet of Allah. I bear witness that there is none worthy of
worship but Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad  is the Messenger of
Allah. I fled from you with the intention of joining the non-Arabs. I then
remembered how you benefit others, how you maintain family relations, and how
you pardon those who act ignorantly towards you. O Prophet of Allah! We were
disbelievers. Allah Ta’ala guided us through you and saved us from destruction. So
pardon me my ignorance and whatever pain I may have caused you. I admit my evil
ways and acknowledge my sins.” Rasulullah  replied: “I have pardoned
you. Allah Ta’ala has been kind to you in that He guided you towards Islam.
Embracing Islam wipes out all previous sins.”
10. Wahshi ibn Harb: He was the one who had murdered Hamzah . Details
concerning him were given under the battle of Uhud. He fled to Taa’if. He then
went to Madinah, presented himself before Rasulullah , embraced Islam
and sought forgiveness for his sins.
When Abu Bakr  prepared an army in order to fight Musaylamah – the
impostor – Wahshi also joined this army. The dagger which he used to kill Hamzah
 was with him. He killed Musaylamah with that very dagger. He used to say:
“It was with this dagger that I killed the best of people and with it I also killed the
worst of people.”
11. Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr: He was a famous poet. He used to compose poems disgracing
Rasulullah . He was also one of those people whose killing Rasulullah
 had permitted on the conquest of Makkah. He fled from Makkah. Later
on, he came to Madinah and embraced Islam. He then wrote a collection of poems
in praise of Rasulullah . This collection is popularly known as Banaat
Su’aad.
12. Haaris ibn Talaatil: He used to speak ill of Rasulullah . Ali 
killed him on the day of the conquest of Makkah.
Chapter 23 499
13. ‘Abdullah ibn Zib‘ari: He was an expert in poetry. He used to compose poems
disgracing and belittling Rasulullah . Sa‘d ibn Musayyib  says that
Rasulullah  ordered that he be killed on the day of the conquest of
Makkah. He fled to Najraan. He repented later, presented himself before Rasulullah
, embraced Islam, and said the following poem in forgiveness:
َ
ٌ‫ت إ ۡذ أنَا بُ ۡور‬ ُ ََۡ َ ٌ َ
ِ ‫رات ِق ما فتق‬ ‫يا رسول المليك إن لسان‬
ُ‫ت الَّذِيۡر‬ َ ۡ‫الشه ۡي ُد َأن‬
َّ ۡ ّ ‫اللحم والعظام ب ِ َر‬
‫ب ثم قلب‬ ُ َ
‫آم َن‬
ِ ِ
“O Messenger of Allah! My tongue will make up for that harm which I caused you
during my days of destruction and deviation. My flesh and bones have brought
Imaan in my Sustainer. My heart then bears testimony that you are a warner (from
Allah).”
14. Hubayrah bint Abi Wahb Makhzumi: She was also from among those poets
who used to compose poems disgracing Rasulullah . On the conquest of
Makkah, she fled to Najraan and died there as a disbeliever.
15. Hindah bint ‘Utbah: She was the wife of Abu Sufyaan . She was the very
same woman who, in the battle of Uhud, removed the liver of Hamzah  and
chewed it. She is also among those women whom Rasulullah  ordered to
be killed on the day of the conquest of Makkah. She had caused untold misery to
Rasulullah . She presented herself before Rasulullah , sought
forgiveness and embraced Islam. She returned to her house and broke all the idols
to pieces saying to them: “By Allah! It was because of you that we were in
delusion.”
These fifteen people were those criminals who could not have been forgiven
because their crimes were extremely serious. Those who admitted their mistakes
and presented themselves in repentance were granted sanctuary. Those who
remained in their rebellion were killed.
We shall now relate how some of the senior and noble people from the
Quraysh embraced Islam after the conquest of Makkah.
Abu Quhaafah embraces Islam

This is the incident concerning the father of Abu Bakr  embracing Islam.
Rasulullah  was in the Sacred Masjid when Abu Bakr  brought his
old father before Rasulullah  and made him sit in front of him. Rasulullah
 said:
‫ تركت الشيخ ف بيته حت اكون انا آتيه فيه‬K‫ه‬

“Why did you not leave this elderly person at home so that I would have gone
personally to meet him?”
Abu Bakr  replied:
ّٰ
‫ هو احق ان يمش الك من ان تمش اله انت‬4‫يا رسول ا‬
“O Messenger of Allah! It is more proper that he comes to you than your going to
him.”
Rasulullah  then passed his blessed hand on the chest of Abu Quhaafah
and made him read the kalimah. The latter embraced Islam. Due to his old age, his
entire facial hair and head were white. Rasulullah  told him to dye his
hair but emphasised that he should not dye it black.
When Abu Quhaafah embraced Islam, Rasulullah  congratulated
Abu Bakr . Abu Bakr  replied: “O Messenger of Allah! I take an oath in
the name of that Being who sent you with the truth that had Abu Taalib embraced
Islam, I would have been more pleased.”
Safwaan ibn Umayyah embraces Islam

Safwaan ibn Umayyah was among the Qurayshi leaders. He was well known for
his generosity. His family excelled in its generosity and hospitality. His father,
Umayyah ibn Khalaf, was killed in the battle of Badr. On the day when Makkah
was conquered, Safwaan fled to Jeddah. His cousin, ‘Umayr ibn Wahb, came before
Rasulullah  and asked for sanctuary in his favour. Rasulullah 
gave him sanctuary and in order to demonstrate this, he gave his turban or his
sheet as well. ‘Umayr went to Jeddah and brought him before Rasulullah
. Safwaan said to Rasulullah : “‘Umayr tells me that you have
given me sanctuary.” Rasulullah  replied in the affirmative. Safwaan said:
“Give me respite for two months so that I may think over the matter.” Rasulullah
 replied: “I give you four month’s respite.” He did not embrace Islam
immediately. However, he accompanied Rasulullah  for the battle of
Hunayn. Rasulullah  borrowed some coats of armour from him. On
reaching Hunayn, he said:
‫كن يربن رجل من قريش احب ا¯ من ان يربن رجل من هوازن‬

“I would prefer someone from the Quraysh seeing to me than someone from the
Hawaazin.”
Chapter 23 501
On returning from Hunayn, Rasulullah  gave him a large number of

goats. On seeing this large number, Safwaan said: “I take an oath by Allah that
none but a true Prophet can be so generous.” On saying this, he embraced Islam.
Suhayl ibn ‘Amr embraces Islam

He was from among the noblemen and leaders of Makkah. He was popularly
known by the title of Khateeb-e-Quraysh – the orator from the Quraysh. When he
came as an ambassador on behalf of the Quraysh on the occasion of Hudaybiyah
and Rasulullah  saw him coming, Rasulullah  addressed the
Sahaabah  and said:
‫قد سهل من امركم‬

“Your matter has now become a bit easy.”
On the day of the conquest of Makkah, Suhayl sent his brother ‘Abdullah to
Rasulullah  to ask him for sanctuary. Rasulullah  gave him
sanctuary and addressed the Sahaabah  saying:
‫ ل‬K‫ يد اله الظر فلعمري ان سهي‬K‫من لق سهيل بن عمرو ف‬

‫م‬K‫س‬O‫عقل و شف وما مثل سهيل يهل ا‬
“Whoever meets Suhayl should not stare at him in anger. I take an oath on my life
that Suhayl is an intelligent and noble person. A person like Suhayl cannot remain
ignorant of Islam.”
Suhayl did not embrace Islam immediately. He joined Rasulullah  for the
battle of Hunayn and embraced Islam at a place called Ji‘irraanah. He took an oath
that just as he had joined the disbelievers in waging war against the Muslims, he
will now join the Muslims in waging Jihaad against the disbelievers, and that the
amount of wealth he spent on the disbelievers will now be spent on the Muslims.
On one occasion, there was a crowd of people at the door of ‘Umar .
People were waiting to see him. Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, Abu Sufyaan and other Qurayshi
leaders were also present. When the guard was informed of this, Suhayb ,
Bilal  and other Sahaabah  who had participated in the Battle of Badr
were called inside. Suhayl, Abu Sufyaan and the other Quraysh leaders were left
outside. Abu Sufyaan said: “I have not come across a day like this. Slaves are called
inside while no attention is paid to us.” The intelligent and wise reply that Suhayl
gave is worthy of being inscribed on the hearts of people. Suhayl addressed Abu
Sufyaan and the other Qurayshi leaders saying:
“O people! I take an oath by Allah that I see displeasure and anger on your
faces. Instead of showing anger at others, you should be angry with your own
selves. Those people were invited towards Islam and so were you. On hearing this
call, they hastened towards it while you turned away and remained behind. I take
an oath that the honour and virtue that these people have is far more superior than
the honour of gaining entrance in this door (of ‘Umar ) over which you are
so envious of. O people! These people have surpassed you as you can see right
before your eyes. Now there is no way that you can achieve this honour and virtue.
If there is any way of making up for this loss, it is only through waging Jihaad in
the cause of Allah Ta’ala and laying your lives in the path of Allah Ta’ala. You
should prepare for this. It is not unlikely that Allah Ta’ala will bless you with the
bounty of martyrdom.”
Suhayl completed his heart-rending speech, dusted himself and immediately
stood up to wage Jihaad in the cause of Allah Ta’ala. He left for Syria together with
his family members in order to fight the Romans. He was martyred in the battle of
Yarmuk. According to some, he passed away in the ‘Amwaas plague. Nevertheless,
he achieved his goal. Passing away in a plague is also a death of martyrdom.
‘Utbah and Mu‘tab embrace Islam

When Rasulullah  entered Makkah in order to conquer it, he asked me:
“Where are your two nephews, ‘Utbah and Mu‘tab, the two sons of Abu Jahal? I do
not see them.” I replied: “They have also concealed themselves with those Qurayshi
leaders who concealed themselves.” Rasulullah  said: “Bring them to me.”
In accordance with his instruction, I rode to a place called ‘Urnah and brought both
of them to Rasulullah . He presented Islam to them. They both embraced
Islam and pledged allegiance to him. Rasulullah  then stood up, held their
hands and took them close to the door of the Ka‘bah. He remained in dua for quite
some time. He then returned with his face beaming with happiness. I said to him:
“O Messenger of Allah! May Allah Ta’ala keep you happy forever for I see your
face beaming with happiness.” He replied: “I made dua to my Sustainer that He
should give these two sons of my uncle, ‘Utbah and Mu‘tab to me. Allah Ta’ala has
now given both of them to me.”
Mu‘aawiyah embraces Islam

Some scholars are of the opinion that Mu’aawiyah  embraced Islam on the
conquest of Makkah. However, the more correct opinion is that he did so on the
occasion of the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah and that he concealed his Islam until
the conquest of Makkah.
Chapter 23 503
The Mother of the believers, Umme Habibah bint Abi Sufyaan , was the
sister of Mu’aawiyah . A mother’s brother is known as your maternal uncle.
Mu’aawiyah  was thus the maternal uncle of the believers. Just as it is
incumbent on a believer to love the family and close relatives of Rasulullah
, it is also incumbent to love the in-laws and other such relatives of
Rasulullah . Abu Sufyaan  was the father of his wife, Umme
Habibah . Mu’aawiyah  was her brother. To love them is an
incumbent duty. It is prohibited to bear malice and enmity towards them.
Whatever they may have done before embracing Islam is all forgiven. It is also
prohibited to mention and enumerate all that they did before embracing Islam.
Small battalions are sent to destroy idols

After the conquest of Makkah, Rasulullah  remained in this city for about
15 days. The idols that were in the Ka‘bah were destroyed and this announcement
was made:
ّٰ
‫ يدع ف بيته صنما‬K‫خر ف‬O‫ والوم ا‬4‫من كن يؤمن با‬
“Whoever believes in Allah and the last day should not have any idol in his house.”
When Makkah was purified of all idols and they were all destroyed, small groups
were sent to the outskirts and surrounding areas to destroy all the other idols.
‘Uzza and Suwa’ are destroyed

On 25 Ramadhaan 8 A.H. Khaalid ibn Waleed  was sent with a group of 30
riders to Nakhlah in order to destroy the idol by the name of ‘Uzza. This place was
one nights’ journey from Makkah. ‘Amr ibn ’Aas  was sent to destroy the
idol named Suwa’ which was about three miles from Makkah. When ‘Amr 
reached that place, the custodian of this idol asked him the reason for which he
came. He replied: “I am following the orders of Rasulullah  to destroy
this idol.” On hearing this, the custodian said: “You will never be able to do this.
The god of Suwa’ will personally prevent you from doing this.” ‘Amr 
replied: “How sad that you are still holding on to such baseless beliefs. Can this idol
hear and see that it will be able to stop me?” On saying this, he struck it with one
blow and reduced it to pieces. He then addressed the custodian saying: “Did you
see what happened?” On seeing this, the custodian immediately embraced Islam.
Manaat is destroyed
On the 26th of Ramadhaan, Sa‘d ibn Zaid Ash-hali was sent at the head of 20 riders
in order to destroy the idol named Manaat which was in the town of Mushallal. In
short, the entire blessed month of Ramadhaan was spent in purifying the land of
Allah from the filth of disbelief and polytheism.
In the month of Shawwaal, 350 Muhaajireen and Ansaar under the command
of Khaalid ibn Waleed  were sent to the Banu Juzaymah in order to invite
them towards Islam. These people used to live on the banks of a lake called
Ghamisa near the town of Yalamlam. Khaalid ibn Waleed  invited them
towards Islam. These people, out of their excitement, could not clearly state that
they had already embraced Islam. Khaalid ibn Waleed  did not consider what
they said to be sufficient and therefore killed some of them and captured some of
them. When he eventually went to Rasulullah  and informed him of what
had happened, Rasulullah  raised his hands and said the following words
two times:
ّٰ
‫اللهم إن أبرأ إلك مما صنع خال‬
“O Allah! I absolve myself from what Khaalid did.”
Rasulullah  then gave some money to Ali  and sent him to the
Banu Juzaymah in order to pay them blood money. Ali  went and paid this
money. When he was fully satisfied that he had paid every person his due, he
distributed the left over money among them. When he returned to Rasulullah
, he related the entire incident to him. Rasulullah  was
extremely happy with what he heard and said:
َ‫ت َوأَ ۡح َس ۡنت‬
َ ‫أَ َص ۡب‬
“You acted correctly and you did well.”
Chapter 24
The Battle of Hunayn - Shawwaal 8 A.H.
Hunayn is the name of a place between Makkah and Taa’if where the Hawaazin
and Saqeef tribes lived. These tribes were very warlike by nature and very good
archers. After the conquest of Makkah, it crossed the minds of these tribes that
Rasulullah  might attack them. They therefore conferred with each other
and decided to attack the Muslims before they could attack them. Their leader,
Maalik ibn ‘Auf Nasri left with an army of 20 000 in order to attack the Muslims.
Darid ibn Sammah, although being unable to move about because of his
extreme old age, was still taken with because of his experience, expertise, and
military skills. Moreover, they could consult with him on various matters.
Maalik ibn ‘Auf emphasised upon all the soldiers that each one should bring
his wife and children with so that he would fight with zeal and no one would leave
his wife and children behind and flee from the battlefield. When they reached the
valley of Autaas, Darid asked about the identity of this place. The people replied
that it was the valley of Autaas. Darid replied that this place was extremely
suitable and appropriate for battle. The ground is neither too hard, nor too soft
whereby the feet would sink in. He then asked:
‫ما¯ اسمع رغء العي ونهاق المي ويعار الشاء وبكاء الصغي‬
“What is this that I hear the sounds of the camels, the braying of asses, the bleating
of sheep and the crying of children?”
The people replied that Maalik ibn ‘Auf had instructed them to bring their wives,
children, animals, etc. so that the people would not flee from the battlefields. On
hearing this, Darid said: “This is a serious mistake. Do those who are defeated ever
take back anything? Nothing but spears and swords are of use in battle. If you are
defeated, it would be a cause of disgrace and humiliation for all your families. It
would be better to keep all the families behind the actual army. If we are victorious,
505
we would all meet again. If we are defeated, our families will be safe from the
attacks of the enemy.”
However, due to his youthful enthusiasm, Maalik ibn ‘Auf did not give due
regard to this advice. Instead, he said: “I swear by Allah that I will not change my
decision. This person has lost his mind due to old age. If the Hawaazin and Saqeef
follow my decision, well and good. If not, I will commit suicide right now.” All the
people replied that they were with him.
When Rasulullah  heard of these conditions and circumstances, he
sent ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Hadr to establish and investigate the true situation.
‘Abdullah learnt all the conditions from a distant place and returned to inform
Rasulullah  of all their military preparations. After establishing all the
facts, Rasulullah  also made preparations for war. He borrowed 100 coats
of armour from Safwaan ibn Umayyah.
Rasulullah  left Makkah on the 8th of Shawwaal 8 A.H. with 12000
men and headed towards Hunayn. Ten thousand were those devoted followers who
joined him from Madinah. Some non Muslims also joined him.
When this fully equipped army of 12000 advanced towards Hunayn, a person
remarked:
‫لن نغلب الوم من قلة‬

“Today we will not be defeated because of small numbers.”
This remark, filled with pride and ostentation, was disliked by Allah Ta’ala. In this
world of means, small numbers are also a cause of defeat. Therefore, on seeing this
large number, some Sahaabah  made this statement that they will not be
defeated because of small numbers. In other words, if they are defeated on this
occasion, it will not be because of small numbers. Rather it will be through the
decision of Allah Ta’ala. Victory and help is from Him alone. However, Allah
Ta’ala did not like this statement of theirs. And instead of victory, they first had to
see the face of defeat. Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Qur-aan:
ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ
‫ﻜﻢ اﻻ ْر ض ﺑ ﻤﺎ‬ ‫ﺿﺎﻗﺖ ﻋ ﻠﻴ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﺌ‬ً ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﺷ ۡﻴ‬
‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻐ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺜ‬ ‫ﻛ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬‫ا‬ ºN ‫ﲔ‬
ٍ ‫وﻳ ْﻮم ﺣ ﻨ‬

ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ٗ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ
‫ﲔ واﻧﺰ ل ﺟ ﻨﻮدًا‬ ‫ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬¤ ‫ وﻋ‬u ‫ رﺳﻮ‬¤ٰ ‫﴾ ﺛﻢ اﻧﺰ ل اﷲ ﺳﻜﻴﻨﺘﻪ ﻋ‬۲۵ۚ ﴿ ‫رﺣﺒﺖ ﺛﻢ وﻟﻴﺘ ۡﻢ ﻣﺪﺑﺮﻳﻦ‬
ٖ
ٰ ْ
﴾۲۶﴿ ‫ﻚ ﺟﺰآء اﻟﻜﻔﺮﻳ ۡﻦ‬ ‫ و ٰذﻟ‬MN‫ﻛ ﻔﺮ ۡوا‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ‬ ‫ﻋﺬب‬ ْ
‫ﻟ ْﻢ ﺗﺮو ﻫﺎ و‬

“And on the day of Hunayn when you prided yourselves on your large numbers,
but they availed you nothing. The earth closed in upon you despite its vastness. You
then turned about retreating. Allah then sent down His assurance to His Messenger
and to the believers, and He sent down armies which you did not see, and He
Chapter 24 507
punished the disbelievers. Such is the punishment of the rejecters.”

[Surah Taubah, verses 25-26]
The Muslim army reached the valley of Hunayn on Tuesday evening. The
Hawaazin and Saqeef tribes were lying in ambush. Maalik ibn ‘Auf had, at the
beginning, ordered them to break the sheaths of their swords and that when the
Muslim army approaches, the entire army of 20 000 should attack the Muslims at
once. When the Muslim army started to cross that area in the darkness of the
morning, 20 000 swords suddenly attacked them. This completely scattered the
Muslim army. Only 10-12 loyal and devoted companions remained next to
Rasulullah . Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Ali, ‘Abbaas, Fadl ibn ‘Abbaas, Usaamah
ibn Zaid  and a few others remained at his side. ‘Abbaas  was holding
on to the reins of Rasulullah’s  donkey while Abu Sufyaan ibn Haaris
 was holding on to the stirrup.
Shaybah ibn ‘Usmaan ibn Abi Talhah said: “Today I will avenge my father
from Muhammad.” His father was killed in the battle of Uhud. When he advanced
towards Rasulullah , he immediately fell unconscious and was unable to
reach him. He realised that he was prevented by Allah from reaching Rasulullah
. He embraced Islam later on.
In short, when the Hawaazin and Saqeef tribes attacked from their places of
ambush and began raining down arrows on the Muslims from all sides, the
Muslims lost their footing. Only the special companions of Rasulullah 
remained with him. Rasulullah  announced three times: “O people! Come
towards me. I am the Messenger of Allah. I am Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah.”
‫أنا ابن عبد المطلب‬ ‫ كذب‬O ‫أنا الب‬

I am the true Prophet. (The promises of help, victory, my protection and defence that
have been made to me are certainly true. There is no possibility of going back on all
this.) I am the son of ‘Abdul Muttalib.
‘Abbaas  had a very loud voice. Rasulullah  ordered him to call out
to the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar. He announced:
‫يا معش النصار يا أصحاب السمرة‬

“O group of Ansaar! O those who had pledged their allegiance beneath the acacia
tree.”
No sooner they heard this call, they all turned and rushed towards Rasulullah
 and within a few minutes they all rallied around him. Rasulullah
 ordered them to attack the disbelievers. When the heavy battle
commenced and heated up, Rasulullah  took a handful of soil and threw
it towards the disbelievers and said:
‫شاهت الوجوه‬
“May these faces be disfigured.”
It is stated in another narration of Muslim that after throwing the handful of soil,
he said:
ّ
‫ورب ممد‬
ِ ‫انهزموا‬
“By the oath of the Sustainer of Muhammad, they are defeated.”
There was no one to whom some of this soil did not reach. Within a moment, the
enemy faltered. Many fled the battlefield while many others were captured.
On the one hand, Rasulullah  threw the handful of soil while on the
other hand, the brave soldiers of Islam placed their trust solely on the help and
assistance of Allah Ta’ala and attacked the enemy. Within a few moments the
tables turned. Despite their strength and power, the soldiers of the Hawaazin
tottered and the Muslims began capturing them. Seventy of them were killed and
numerous others were captured. A huge amount of booty came into Muslim hands.
Jubayr ibn Mut‘im  narrates: “Even before the defeat and subjugation of
the Hawaazin, I saw a black sheet descending from the sky and falling between us
and our enemies. Black ants immediately came out from that sheet and spread
throughout the valley. I had no doubt that they were angels. No sooner they
descended, the enemy was defeated.
After the defeat, the commander of the Hawaazin and Saqeef, Maalik ibn ‘Auf,
fled with a group of followers and sought refuge in Taa’if. Durayd ibn Summah
and others fled to Autaas and sought refuge there. Others fled to Nakhlah.
Rasulullah  sent Abu ‘Aamir Ash’ari , the uncle of Abu Musa
Ash’ari , with a small battalion to Autaas. When the battle ensued, Durayd
was killed at the hands of Rabi’ah ibn Rufay‘ .
Salamah ibn Durayd struck Abu ‘Aamir Ash’ari  with an arrow in his
knee. He was consequently martyred. Abu Musa Ash’ari  went forward and
took up the flag of Islam. He fought with much courage and valour and killed the
one who killed his uncle. Allah Ta’ala eventually gave victory to the Muslims.
At the time when Abu ‘Aamir  was dying, he said to his nephew: “O my
nephew! Convey my Salaam to Rasulullah  and ask him to seek
forgiveness for me.” Abu Musa  says: “I went to Rasulullah ,
narrated the entire incident to him and conveyed my uncle’s greeting and message.
Rasulullah  immediately asked for water for wudhu, he made wudhu,
raised his hands and made the following dua:
Chapter 24 509
ّٰ َ ۡ ّٰ
‫ الل ُه َّم اجعله يوم القيامة فوق كثي من‬.‫الل ُه َّم اغفر لعبيد أب عمر‬
‫خلقك من الاس‬
“O Allah! Forgive ‘Ubayd Abi ‘Aamir. O Allah! Make him above many of Your
creation on the Day of Resurrection.”
Abu Musa  says: “I said: O Messenger of Allah! Make dua in my favour as
well.” Rasulullah  said:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ كريما‬K‫ بن قيس ذنبه وأدخله يوم القيامة مدخ‬4‫اللهم اغفر لعبد ا‬
“O Allah! Forgive ‘Abdullah ibn Qays his sins and admit him into a noble place on
the Day of Resurrection.”
The siege of Taa’if

Rasulullah  issued the order that the captives and booty of Hunayn
should be gathered at Ji‘irraanah. He then headed towards Taa’if. Before leaving
for Taa’if, he sent Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Dusi and a few others to go and burn down an
idol by the name of Zul Kaffayn. Tufayl ibn ‘Amr joined him four days later in
Taa’if. He brought a type of tank and a catapult with him.
Maalik ibn ‘Auf, the commander of the Hawaazin, had reached Taa’if before
Rasulullah  and locked himself in the fort that was situated there. He had
stocks of grain and other edibles that would be sufficient for several years. On
reaching Taa’if, Rasulullah  laid siege to this town and rained rocks onto
it by using the catapult. The disbelievers placed archers on the fort who shot at the
Muslims with such ferocity that many of them were wounded and 12 of them were
martyred. Khaalid ibn Waleed  challenged them to come forward for a hand
combat but they replied that they had no need to get down from the fort because
they had grain for several years. Only when all this food was used up, will they
come down and fight with their swords. The Muslims sat in the tanks trying to
penetrate the fort. The enemy began throwing hot steel from above. This forced the
Muslims to retreat. On seeing this, Rasulullah  ordered that the orchards
be chopped down. The people in the fort asked him in the name of Allah Ta’ala and
their family ties that he should leave the orchards. Rasulullah  replied: “I
am leaving them for the sake of Allah Ta’ala and your family ties.” An
announcement was then made near the wall of the fort that whichever slave comes
down, he will be freed. Consequently, 12-13 slaves came down. During this time,
Rasulullah  saw in a dream that a cup of milk was given to him. A fowl
came and pecked at it, causing the cup to break. Rasulullah  related this
dream to Abu Bakr . He replied: “It is most likely that this fort will not be
conquered at present.” Rasulullah  called for Naufal ibn Mu’aawiyah

Daylami  and asked him for his opinion in this regard. He replied: “O
Messenger of Allah! The fox is in its den. If we remain, we will catch it. If we leave
it, it will not cause any harm to you.”
‘Umar  came and said: “O Prophet of Allah! You should make dua
against them.” Rasulullah  replied: “Allah Ta’ala did not permit me to do
this.” ‘Umar  asked: “Then what is the need for us to fight them? You ordered
us to depart (for war) and while you were moving, you said:
ّٰ
‫اللهم اهد ثقيفا وائت بهم‬
‘O Allah! Guide the Saqeef and bring them as Muslims to me.’”
Consequently, this fort was automatically conquered later on. All those present
embraced Islam. Their commander, Maalik ibn ‘Auf himself came before Rasulullah
 and embraced Islam.
The booty of Hunayn is distributed

After leaving Taa’if, Rasulullah  reached Ji’irraanah on the 5th of Zul
Qa‘dah. It was at this place that all the booty was gathered. The booty comprised
the following: 6 000 prisoners of war, 24 000 camels, 40 000 goats and 4 000 ounces
of silver. Rasulullah  remained there for more than 10 days waiting for
the Hawaazin in the hope that they would come to free their relatives, children and
women. However, when no one came even after 10-12 days, he began distributing
the booty among the rightful recipients.
After the booty was distributed, a delegation comprising of nine people from
the Hawaazin came to Rasulullah . They embraced Islam and pledged
their allegiance at the hands of Rasulullah . They then requested that
their wealth, wives and children be returned to them. Rasulullah’s  foster
mother, Halimah Sa‘diyyah  was also from this tribe. The spokesman of this
tribe, Zuhayr, stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Your maternal aunts,
paternal aunts and those who fed you in your infancy are among these prisoners. If
we had such relationships with some king or ruler, he would have been extremely
kind to us. Your status is far higher than all of them. The calamity that has afflicted
us is not concealed from you. Be kind to us and Allah will be kind to you.” He then
said the following lines:
ّٰ
‫فإنك المرء نرجوه وننتظر‬ ‫ ف كرم‬4‫امن علينا رسول ا‬
“Shower us, O Messenger of Allah, with your kindness. Surely you are a person
from whom we hope and expect this kindness.”
Chapter 24 511
Rasulullah  replied: “I waited for you (but you did not come). The booty
has now been distributed. You may choose one of the two, the prisoners or the
wealth.” They replied: “You have given us a choice with regard to our wealth and
progeny. We choose our progeny. We will not ask you anything further regarding
the camels and goats.”
Rasulullah  said: “Whatever has come to my family and to the Banu
Haashim and Banu Muttalib, is all yours. However, whatever has gone into the
share of the other Muslims, you should stand up after the Zuhr Salaah and speak to
the people. I will intercede on your behalf.” Consequently, the orators from the
Hawaazin delegation delivered very eloquent speeches after the Zuhr Salaah and
requested the Muslims to set free their prisoners. Rasulullah  then stood
up to deliver a speech. He first praised and glorified Allah Ta’ala and then said:
“These brothers of yours from the Hawaazin have embraced Islam. I have given the
share that came to me and my family to them. I consider it appropriate that other
Muslims also return their prisoners to them. Whoever does this voluntarily and
willingly, it will be better. If not, I am prepared to pay the recompense thereof later
on.” They all replied that they would return them voluntarily and willingly. In so
doing, 6 000 prisoners were immediately freed.
From among these prisoners of war was Rasulullah’s  foster sister by
the name of Shima’. When the people captured her, she informed them that she
was the sister of the Messenger of Allah. The people brought her before Rasulullah
 in order to verify this claim. She said: “O Muhammad ! I am
your sister.” She then showed him the proof thereof that when he was young, he
had bitten her. She then showed him the mark. Rasulullah  recognised it
and welcomed her. He offered her a shawl on which to sit. Rasulullah’s 
eyes were filled with tears out of extreme happiness. He said to her: “If you wish,
you may live with me with respect and honour. If you wish, you may return to
your tribe.” She replied that she would like to return to her tribe. She embraced
Islam. When she was departing, Rasulullah  gave her some camels, goats,
three male slaves and one female slave.
The senior Quraysh who embraced Islam on the conquest of Makkah were still
weak in their faith. Imaan was not firmly embedded in their hearts as yet. In the
Qur-aan they are referred to as, “those whose hearts are to be reconciled”.
Rasulullah  gave them a large share during the distribution of the booty.
Some received 100 camels, others 200, while yet others received 300.
In short, whatever was given, was given to the noblemen from the Quraysh.
The Ansaar were not given anything. It is for this reason that some youngsters
from the Ansaar said: “The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala gave the Quraysh while he
did not give anything to us, whereas it is our swords that are still dripping with
their blood.” Others said: “We are called to help during times of difficulties, but the
booty is distributed amongst other people.” When Rasulullah  heard this,
he gathered the Ansaar and addressed them saying:
“O Ansaar! What is this that I am hearing?” The Ansaar replied: “O

Messenger of Allah! None of our leading and senior people said this. Rather, it was
some youngsters.” Rasulullah  said: “O group of Ansaar! Were you not
astray when Allah Ta’ala guided you through me? You were enemies to each other
and Allah Ta’ala united you through me. You were poor and destitute, and Allah
Ta’ala gave you prosperity through me.” The Ansaar replied: “Whatever you said is
absolutely true and correct. Without doubt, Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger have
been extremely kind to us.” Rasulullah  said: “You can reply to my
statements by saying: ‘O Muhammad! When people rejected you, it was we who
believed in you. When you were without any helpers, it was we who came to your
assistance. When you were without any support and base, it was we who gave you
refuge. When you were poor, it was we who saw to your needs.’ O group of
Ansaar! Are you grieving over the fact that I gave a little wealth and a few dirhams
of this world which have no real value (compared to the treasures of the hereafter)
to a few people merely to reconcile their hearts towards Islam, and that I left you
out because I have full confidence on your Islam, Imaan, conviction and
dedication?”
Rasulullah  then said: “The Quraysh have been afflicted by the
difficulties and hardships of imprisonment (in other words, in comparison to the
Muslims, they were afflicted by numerous physical and monetary hardships). I
therefore wish to make up for this loss by giving them something, and I wish to
reconcile their hearts to Islam. In the different battles, their families and close
relatives were killed or imprisoned, and they had to face various types of hardships
and humiliations. Allah Ta’ala safeguarded you from all this. It is therefore
appropriate to give such people from the booty in order to reconcile their hearts.
On the other hand, you are believers. You are blessed with the unique and eternal
wealth of Imaan and conviction. What! Are you not pleased that people take camels
and goats and return to their homes while you take the Messenger of Allah with
you? I take an oath by that being (Allah) in whose control is my life, that had the
emigration not been something that was destined by Allah Ta’ala, I would have
also been from the Ansaar. If the people follow a particular mountain pass and the
Ansaar follow a different mountain pass, I will follow the mountain pass that is
followed by the Ansaar. O Allah! Show Your mercy and kindness to the Ansaar
and their progenies.”
No sooner had Rasulullah  said this, the Ansaar began screaming out
and crying to such an extent that their beards became wet. They said: “We are
completely happy with this distribution that Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
 fall into our lot.” The people dispersed thereafter.
Chapter 24 513
Umrah Ji’irraanah
On the 8th of Zul Qa‘dah, Rasulullah  left Ji’irraanah for Makkah with
the intention of performing Umrah. On reaching there, he appointed ‘Itaab ibn
Usayd  as the governor of Makkah and left Mu’aaz ibn Jabal  with him
for the purpose of teaching him Islam. After two months and 16 days, Rasulullah
 returned to Madinah on 27 Zul Qa‘dah.
The prohibition of mut‘ah2

When Rasulullah  left Autaas for Umrah, he stood at the door of the
Ka‘bah, held its two sides and announced: “Mut‘ah has been made unlawful till the
Day of Resurrection.” Since this announcement was made at night and few people
were present there, everyone did not hear this announcement properly. It is for this
reason that some people unwittingly committed mut‘ah after this announcement as
well. Rasulullah  again announced its unlawfulness during the battle of
Tabuk. Later on, during the caliphate of ‘Umar , some people committed
mut‘ah also due to lack of knowledge. On hearing about this, he stood on the
mimbar and said: “The Prophet  made mut‘ah unlawful. It was
committed several times during his time due to lack of knowledge. He did not take
anyone to task for this. The unlawfulness of mut‘ah is firmly established. Now,
after this announcement, if anyone commits mut‘ah, I will implement the
punishment of adultery on him.” After this announcement of ‘Umar , mut‘ah
came to an end.
Other incidents that took place in this year (8 A.H.)

1. Itaab ibn Usayd  made the Muslims perform the Haj as was performed
by the Arabs.
2. In the month of Zul Hijjah, Ibraaheem , the son of Rasulullah 
was born from Maariyah Qibtiyyah .
3. Rasulullah  appointed ‘Amr ibn ’Aas  as a collector of zakaah
and sent him towards ‘Ummaan (Oman) for this purpose.
4. Rasulullah  sent Ka‘b ibn ‘Umayr  towards Zat Ittila‘, a place
in Syria, to invite them towards Islam. Fifteen people accompanied him. The
2
Temporary marriage
people of that place killed all the Muslims except for one, who saved himself
and returned to Madinah.
The appointment of governors

After the conquest of Makkah, almost the entire Arabian Peninsula came under
Islamic control. A need was therefore felt for the organisation of an Islamic state. In
order to establish the control of Islam, Rasulullah  appointed different
governors for the different areas. Baazaan ibn Saasaan was appointed as the
governor of Yemen. He was originally the governor of Yemen on behalf of
Khusroes. When the latter was killed, Baazaan embraced Islam. Rasulullah
 therefore maintained him as the governor of Yemen. He held this post
till the day he passed away. When he passed away, his son, Shahr ibn Baazaan, was
appointed as the governor of San‘a, the capital of Yemen. When Shahr passed
away, Khaalid ibn Sa’eed ibn ’Aas Umawi was appointed governor. Ziyaad ibn
Labid Ansaari was appointed governor of Hadramaut. Abu Musa Ash’ari 
was appointed governor of Zabid and Mu’aaz ibn Jabal  was appointed
governor of the city Jand which was in Yemen. Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb  was
appointed governor of Najraan. His son, Yazeed was appointed governor of
Timami. ‘Itaab ibn Usayd  was appointed governor of Makkah. Ali 
was appointed the judge of Yemen.
The 9th year A.H.

In the month of Muharram 9 A.H., Rasulullah  despatched zakaat
collectors to different areas and tribes.
The expedition of ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn Fazaari

Rasulullah  sent Bishr ibn Sufyaan ‘Adawi in order to collect zakaat. The
people were prepared to pay the zakaat but the Banu Tameem created obstacles and
said: “By Allah! Not a single camel will leave this place.” They unsheathed their
swords and were prepared to fight. On seeing this, Bishr  returned.
Rasulullah  therefore appointed ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn Fazaari over 50
people and sent them to a place called Suqyaa, where the Banu Tameem lived. This
place is 17 miles from Juhfah. On reaching there at night, they launched an attack.
Eleven men, 21 women and 30 children were captured and brought to Madinah.
The Banu Tameem were forced to send a delegation of 10 people to Rasulullah
. The following personalities were also among these 10 people: ‘Attaar
ibn Haajib, Zibirqaan, Qays ibn ‘Aasim and Aqra‘ ibn Haabis. When they reached
Chapter 24 515
Madinah, they stood behind the rooms of Rasulullah  and called out to
him: “O Muhammad! Come outside so that we may compete with you in poetry.
Our praise is a source of embellishment and our criticism is a source of blemish.”
Rasulullah  replied: “This is the prerogative of Allah Ta’ala alone. As for
me, I am neither a poet nor have I been commanded to be boastful.” The following
verses were revealed in this regard:
ْ ْ ‫﴾ وﻟ ْﻮ اﻧ‬۴﴿ ‫ﻛﺜﺮﻫ ْﻢ ﻻ ﻳ ْﻌﻘﻠ ۡﻮن‬ ْ ْ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻳﻨﺎد ۡوﻧﻚ ﻣ‬

‫ ﺻ ﱪ ۡوا ﺣ ٰ « ﺗﺨﺮج‬$ ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ ٰ
‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﻦ ورآء اﻟ‬ ‫ا ن‬

ۡ
﴾۵﴿ ‫ و اﷲ ﻏ ﻔ ۡﻮ ٌر رﺣ ۡﻴ ٌﻢ‬MN$
ْ ‫ﲑا ﻟ‬ ً ‫ﺧ‬ ‫ﺎن‬ ‫ ﻟﻜ‬$ ْ ‫اﻟ ۡﻴ‬

“Surely those who call out to you from behind the rooms, most of them do not have
intelligence. Had they remained patient until you went out to them, it would have
been better for them. Allah is forgiving, merciful.” [Surah Hujuraat, verse 4-5]
Rasulullah  eventually came out and performed the Zuhr Salaah. On
completing the Salaah, he sat in the courtyard of the Masjid. The delegation said to
him: “We have come to compete with you in self praise. Permit our poet and orator
to recite.” Rasulullah  replied: “He has my permission.”
The speech of ‘Ataarid ibn Haajib

The orator and speaker from the Banu Tameem, ‘Ataarid ibn Haajib, stood up and
delivered this speech:
“All praise is due to Allah who has been kind to us. It is He who made us kings and
gave us plenty of wealth with which we do good. He made us the most honourable of
the people of the east, the largest in number, and the most in possessions. So who
among people are like us? Are we not the leaders of people and the most superior of
them? Whoever wants to compete with us should enumerate the qualities that we
enumerated. Had we wished, we would have said much more. However, we feel shy
to say too much. And we know this very well. I am saying this at present. I
challenge you to say something similar to what I said or better than what I said.”
After delivering this speech, Ataarid sat down. Rasulullah  asked Saabit
ibn Qays ibn Shammaas Ansaari  to give a reply. Saabit ibn Qays 
immediately stood up and said:
“All praise is due to Allah who created the heavens and the earth and promulgated
His laws therein. His knowledge encompasses everything. All that is existing is
doing so solely out of His grace. It is out of His power that He made us kings and
sent His best creation as a Messenger, who surpasses the entire creation in his
lineage, who is the most truthful of them in speech, and the most superior in his
nobility. He revealed to him a Book and made him a trust to the entire creation. He
is thus the most beloved to Allah from the entire creation. He then invited the people
to believe in him. The Muhaajireen from his people and his close relatives believed
in him. They have the best lineage from people, they enjoy the most distinction, and
they have the best deeds. Then we (the Ansaar) were the first to respond to Allah
Ta’ala when the Messenger of Allah invited us. We are thus the helpers of Allah
and the ministers of the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala. We wage Jihaad against the
people till they believe in Allah. Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger
, his wealth and life is safeguarded. Whoever rejects, we fight him forever
for the sake of Allah. And it is very easy for us to kill him. This is what I have to
say. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself, the believing men and the believing
women. Peace be upon you.”
After this, Zibirqaan ibn Badr sang a poem in praise of his people. Rasulullah
 asked Hassaan  to give a reply to it. The latter immediately
responded by saying a poem. Aqra‘ ibn Haabis (who was part of the Saqeef
delegation) said: “I take an oath by Allah that your speaker is better than ours, and
your poet is better than ours.” They all then embraced Islam. Rasulullah 
gave them some gifts and returned their prisoners to them.
The expedition of Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘eet

Rasulullah  sent Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah  to the Bani Mustaliq tribe in
order to collect the different charities. On hearing about this, these people came out
very happily, and arranged themselves in military fashion in order to welcome
Waleed. There had been a lengthy enmity since pre-Islamic times between
Waleed’s family and the Bani Mustaliq. When Waleed saw them from a distance,
he assumed that because of this old enmity, these people have come out in order to
fight him. Therefore, Waleed turned back there and then. He went and informed
Rasulullah  that these people have become apostates and they refused to
pay the zakaah. Rasulullah  became surprised at hearing this news. He
was still pondering over this when this news reached the Bani Mustaliq. They
immediately sent a delegation to Rasulullah  and presented the actual
situation before him. The following verses were revealed:
ۤۡ ٌۢ ۡ ۤ
‫ ﻣﺎ‬¤ٰ ‫ﺤ ۡﻮا ﻋ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ْ ‫ ﻓﺘ‬Ð‫ﺎ‬
‫ﺼ‬ ٍ ‫ﻬ‬ ‫ﺠ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻣ‬C ‫ﻮا ا ۡن ﺗﺼ ۡﻴﺒ ۡﻮا ﻗ ْﻮ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻖ‬ ‫ﻛ ْﻢ ﻓﺎﺳ‬ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮا ان‬
‫ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ‬
ٍ
‫ﺟﺂ ء‬

ۡ ٰ ْ ْ
﴾۶﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻓ ﻌﻠ ﺘﻢ ﻧﺪﻣ‬
“O believers! If there comes to you a sinner with any information, then verify it lest
you harm some people out of ignorance, and later you become remorseful over what
you have done.” [Surah Hujuraat, verse 6]
Chapter 24 517
The expedition of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ausjah 
In Safar 9 A.H., Rasulullah  sent ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ausjah  to the Bani

‘Amr ibn Haarisah in order to invite them to Islam. Rasulullah 
despatched him with a letter from himself. These people refused to embrace Islam.
They took this letter of Rasulullah , washed it and tied it to the bottom of
a bucket. When ‘Abdullah  returned to Rasulullah  and informed
him of what transpired, he said: “What! Do these people have no intelligence? From
that time to this time, the people of this tribe have been foolish and immature.
They are devoid of intelligence and they are dumb.”
The expedition of Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir 

It was in the same month that Rasulullah  sent Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir 
at the command of 20 people to the Khash‘am in order to wage Jihaad against
them. Qutbah  went, fought them and defeated them. He returned with some
camels, goats and prisoners. After taking out one fifth of the booty, each person
received four camels, and each camel was considered to be equal to 10 goats.
The expedition of Dahhaak ibn Sufyaan 
In the month of Rabi‘ul-Awwal, Rasulullah  sent Dahhaak ibn Sufyaan

Kilaabi  to the Bani Kilaab to invite them to Islam. The people refused and
began hurling abuses at Dahhaak  and Islam. They also prepared for war. A
battle ensued and they were defeated. Dahhaak  returned very happily to
Madinah with some booty.
The expedition of ‘Alqamah ibn Mujazzaz Mudlaji 

Rasulullah  received information that some Abyssinians had come to
Jeddah. Rasulullah  sent ‘Alqamah ibn Mujazzaz  with 300 men.
When these Abyssinians heard about this, they fled and disappeared. When the
Muslims were returning, some of the soldiers decided to hasten so that they could
reach their homes before the rest of the army. ‘Alqamah  ignited a fire and
ordered this group that was in a hurry to jump into the fire. Some of them were
prepared to jump. ‘Alqamah  said to them: “Stop, I was merely joking with
you.” When these people returned to Madinah, they informed Rasulullah 
of what transpired. Rasulullah  said: “When anyone commands you to do
something wrong, do not listen to him.”
The expedition of Ali ibn Abi Taalib 
In Rabi‘ul-Aakhir 9 A.H. Rasulullah  sent Ali  with 150-200 men to

the Tayy tribe in order to destroy their idol by the name of Fuls. On reaching there,
the Muslims attacked at night. Some people and cattle were captured. The temple in
which the idol was housed was destroyed and burnt down. They also brought two
swords that were in the temple. These were obtained by Haaris ibn Shamr. Among
those captured was the daughter of the icon of generosity, Haatim Taa’ie. Her
name was Saffaanah. On the other hand, Haatim’s son, ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim, fled to
Syria when he heard about the approach of the Muslim army. The reason he fled to
Syria was that there were many Christians there who subscribed to his beliefs. The
captives were brought to Madinah and kept near the Masjid. When Rasulullah
 passed by, Haatim’s daughter stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah!
My father has passed away. Furthermore, the person who was seeing to me has
fled. Be kind to us and Allah will be kind to you.” Rasulullah  asked:
“Who was the one who was seeing to you and taking care of you?” She replied:
“My brother, ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim.” Rasulullah  said: “He is the one who
fled from Allah and His Messenger? It would be better if I show kindness to you.
However, do not hasten in returning. When I find some reliable person from your
tribe, I will send you back to your people.” Within a few days, Rasulullah
 found a few people from the Tayy tribe who were going towards Syria.
Due to his kindness and generosity, Rasulullah  gave her a riding animal,
some provisions and some clothing, and sent her off. Saffaanah embraced Islam and
expressed her gratitude to Rasulullah  with the following words:
‫ ملكتك يد استغنت بعد فقر‬O‫شكرتك يد افتقرت بعد غن و‬

ّٰ
O‫ جعل لك إ¯ ليم حاجة و‬O‫ بمعروفك مواضعه و‬4‫وأصاب ا‬
‫ وجعلك سببا لردها عليه‬O‫سلب نعمة عن كريم إ‬
“May Allah make that hand of yours forever grateful. That hand which became
poor and empty after it had enjoyed prosperity. May that hand which became rich
after being poor never gain control over you. May Allah cause your kindness to be
forever found wherever it is needed. May Allah never make you in need of anything
from a wretched person. May Allah never snatch away any bounty from a kind
person without making you the means of returning it.”
Saffaanah bid farewell to Rasulullah  and returned to Syria. On reaching
there, she met her brother, ‘Adiyy, and related the entire incident to him. He asked
her: “What do you think I should do?” She replied:
Chapter 24 519
ّٰ
‫ أن تلحق به سيعا فإن يك نبينا فالسباق إله فضيلة‬4‫أرى وا‬
‫وإن يك ملك فلن تزال ف عز وأنت وأنت‬
“I take an oath by Allah that I think that you should meet him as quickly as
possible. If he is a Prophet, then to run and hasten towards him is very meritorious.
If he is a king, it will always be a source of honour. And you know very well.”
On hearing this, ‘Adiyy said: “This is a very good suggestion.” He then presented
himself before Rasulullah  and embraced Islam.
Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr embraces Islam

It was mentioned previously that this person used to compose poetry in which he
used to disgrace Rasulullah . On the conquest of Makkah, Ka‘b ibn
Zuhayr and his brother, Bujayr ibn Zuhayr, fled from Makkah and went to a place
called Abraq al-Ghuraab. Bujayr said to Ka‘b: “You remain here while I will go,
listen to Muhammad () and learn about his religion. If I establish his
truthfulness, I will follow him. If not, I will leave it.” Ka‘b remained there while
Bujayr went to Rasulullah , listened to what he had to say, and
immediately embraced Islam.
When Rasulullah  returned from Taa’if and reached Madinah,
Bujayr wrote a letter to his brother informing him that those who used to compose
poetry in order to disgrace Rasulullah  were killed on the conquest of
Makkah. Those who were able to flee, fled. If you value your life, present yourself
immediately before Rasulullah . Whoever comes in repentance to him
and embraces Islam, is not killed. If you are unable to do this, go to a very distant
place where you could save yourself. When Ka‘b learnt about this, he became
angry at the fact that Bujayr embraced Islam without consulting him. He then
wrote the following lines:
“O friends! Convey this message of mine to Bujayr. What is your opinion as regards
to whatever I have to say? How sad, what have you done? Explain to us, if you are
unable to remain on the religion of your forefathers, then what other path have you
chosen? You have chosen a path which you have neither found your mother nor
your father on. Nor have you found your brother on that path. If you do not act on
what I say, I will not grieve. I will not say anything to you at the time of your error.
The one who is trusted (Muhammad ) made you drink from a cup that
removes thirst.”
Bujayr did not want this incident to be concealed from Rasulullah . He
therefore showed these lines to him. Rasulullah  said: “He is correct, I am
trusted from Allah’s side, and I am commanded by Him.” On hearing the words:
“You have chosen a path which you have neither found your mother nor your
father on”, he said: “This is also correct. Where did he find his father and mother
on this religion?”
In reply to the above lines, Bujayr wrote the following letter:
“Is there anyone who would convey this message to Ka‘b? Do you have any desire to
enter that religion regarding which you wrongfully reproach me, when in actual
fact it is totally correct? It will convey you, not to Uzza and Laat, but to one Allah.
In so doing, you will also be saved when others who believed in one Allah are saved,
and you will also be safeguarded from the punishment. That is, on that day when
no one will be saved and no one will be able to escape (the punishment) except he
whose heart is pure (from the filth of polytheism and disbelief) and is a Muslim. So
the religion of Zuhayr is nothing. And the religion of my grandfather, Abu Sulma,
is prohibited to me (because I have entered the true religion of Islam).”
This letter of Bujayr had a great impact on Ka‘b. He immediately wrote a poem in
praise of Rasulullah  and left for Madinah. He reached Madinah and
presented himself before Rasulullah  after the Fajr Salaah. He did not
identify himself by his real name, and asked the following question: “O Messenger
of Allah! If Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr comes to you in repentance and embraces Islam, will
you give him sanctity?” Rasulullah  replied in the affirmative. Ka‘b said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I am that sinful person. Give me your hand so that I may
pledge allegiance to you.” An Ansaari person stood up and said: “O Messenger of
Allah! Permit me to chop off his head.” Rasulullah  replied: “Let him be.
He has come in repentance.”
He removed a Yemeni shawl which he was wearing and gave it to Ka‘b .
Later on, Mu’aawiyah  purchased this shawl from the progeny of Ka‘b 
for 20 000 dirhams. This shawl remained among the caliphs for quite some time.
They used to wear it on the occasions of Eid as a source of blessing. It was lost
when the Tartars attacked the Islamic state.
Chapter 25
The Battle of Tabuk - Rajab 9 A.H.
The Christian Arabs had written to Heraclius, the king of Rome, that Muhammad
() passed away and that the people were dying because of the drought
that they were experiencing. It was therefore a very appropriate time to attack the
Arabs. Heraclius immediately issued the order for preparations. A fully equipped
army of 40 000 was prepared.
The traders of Syria frequented Madinah to sell olive oil. Rasulullah 
learnt from them about this army and that the front of the army had already
reached Balqa’, and that Heraclius already distributed the entire year’s wage to the
soldiers.
On hearing all of this, Rasulullah  issued the order that preparations
should be made immediately so that they could reach the border of the enemy lines
and fight them. The border was Tabuk. The distant journey, the hot weather, the
drought, the poverty, the lack of resources, etc. were such impediments that on
hearing this order to prepare for Jihaad, the hypocrites, who claimed to be Muslims,
feared that they will now be exposed. In order to save themselves, they began
saying among themselves and to others as well:
َ ۡ ‫ َت ۡنف ُِر ۡوا ِف‬O
‫ال ّر‬
َ
“Do not go out in such heat.”
One joker said: “People know that I become excited when I see beautiful women. I
fear that if I were to see the beautiful women of the Romans, I would fall into
temptation.”
On the other hand, the sincere Muslims immediately followed the orders of
Rasulullah  and began their preparations. Abu Bakr  was the first
person to bring all his wealth and present it before Rasulullah . The
wealth that he brought amounted to 4000 dirhams. Rasulullah  asked
521
him: “Did you leave anything behind for your family?” He replied: “I left Allah and
His Messenger for them.” ‘Umar  presented half of his entire wealth. ‘Abdur
Rahmaan ibn ‘Auf  presented 200 ounces of silver. ‘Aasim ibn ‘Adiyy 
presented 70 loads of dates.
‘Usmaan  presented 300 fully laden camels and 1000 dinars. On seeing
all this, Rasulullah  became extremely pleased with him. He continued
passing his hands through the coins saying: “After this great deed, no deed can
harm ‘Usmaan. O Allah! I am pleased with ‘Usmaan. You also be pleased with
him.”
Most of the Sahaabah  offered their help in accordance with their
financial position. Despite all this, the riding animals and the provisions for the
journey were not enough. A few Sahaabah  came to Rasulullah 
and said to him: “O Messenger of Allah! We are totally helpless. If some
arrangements for riding animals could be made, we will not be deprived of this
great opportunity (of joining you on this jihaad).” Rasulullah  replied: “I
have no riding animals with me.” On hearing this, they went back crying. Allah
Ta’ala revealed the following verse in this regard:
‫ﺾ‬ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ْ ‫ﺣﻤﻠ‬ ْ ‫ ﻗ ْﻠﺖ ﻻ ۤ اﺟﺪ ﻣﺎ ۤ ا‬$ْ ْ ۤ

‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ا ذا ﻣﺎ اﺗ ْﻮ‬
¤ ‫و ﻻ ﻋ‬
‫ ﺗﻔﻴ‬$ ‫ ﺗ ﻮﻟﻮا و اﻋ ﻴ ﻨ‬ÌN‫ﻜﻢ ﻋ ﻠﻴﻪ‬ ‫ك ﻟ ﺘﺤﻤ ﻠ‬
ۡ
﴾ؕ ۹۲﴿ ‫ا ْﻣﻊ ﺣﺰﻧًﺎ ا ﻻ ﻳﺠ ﺪ ۡوا ﻣﺎ ﻳﻨﻔ ﻘ ۡﻮن‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻣ‬

“Nor (is there a way of reproach) against those who came to you so that you may
provide them with conveyances and you said: ‘I do not have anything upon which I
could convey you.’ They turned away, their eyes flowing with tears out of sorrow
that they do not have that which they could spend.” [Surah Taubah, verse 92]
When ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal  and Abu Layla ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn Ka‘b
 went back crying from Rasulullah , they met Yaameen ibn ‘Amr
Nadri on the way. On seeing them crying, he asked them the reason for this. They
replied: “Neither does Rasulullah  have riding animals for us nor do we
possess the means to prepare for the journey. We are extremely sad over the fact
that we will be deprived of taking part in this battle.” On hearing this, Yaameen
was overcome with compassion. He immediately purchased a camel and made
arrangements for the provisions for the journey.
When the Sahaabah  were ready to depart, Rasulullah  left
Muhammad ibn Maslamah Ansaari  in charge and appointed him as the
governer of Madinah. He also left Ali  in order to see to his family and take
care of them. Ali  said to Rasulullah : “O Messenger of Allah! You
are leaving me with the women and children!” Rasulullah  replied: “Are
Chapter 25 523
you not pleased over the fact that you are to me just as Haroon  was to Musa
? However, there is no Prophet after me.”
Rasulullah  eventually departed from Madinah at the head of an
army of 30 000 in which there were 10 000 horses.
On the way, they had to pass that place in which the punishment of Allah
Ta’ala had afflicted Samud. When passing this place, Rasulullah  was
affected so greatly, that he covered his face and urged his camel to move faster. He
emphasised on the Sahaabah  that no one should go to this place of
wrongdoers. No one should drink water from there and no one should perform
wudhu with the water of that place. They should merely pass by that place crying
out to Allah Ta’ala. He ordered that those who had mistakenly taken water from
there or used that water in their flour should throw that water away and feed that
flour to their camels.
On reaching a place called Hijr, Rasulullah  advised the Sahaabah
 not to travel alone (they should move about in groups). Coincidentally, two
persons went out alone. One of them suffered from suffocation. Rasulullah
 blew on him and he was cured. The other was carried by the winds and
thrown onto the mountains of Tayy. He returned to Madinah after quite some time.
When the Muslims continued futher, there was no water. They were greatly
distressed by this. Rasulullah  made dua to Allah Ta’ala. He sent down
rain which quenched everyone. When they continued on their journey,
Rasulullah’s  camel got lost. A hypocrite who was with them said: “You
bring to us information from the heavens (i.e. divine revelation) but you do not
even know where your camel is.”
Rasulullah  replied: “I take an oath in the name of Allah Ta’ala that I
have no knowledge of anything except that which Allah Ta’ala teaches me.
Nonetheless now, by the inspiration of Allah Ta’ala, I have learnt that my lost
camel is in such and such valley. Its bridle got caught to a branch and it therefore
cannot move forward.” A few Sahaabah  went and brought this camel.
About a day or so before reaching Tabuk, Rasulullah  informed the
Sahaabah  that they would reach the spring of Tabuk by mid-morning the
following day. No person should use any water from that spring. When they
reached that spring, water was dripping from it, drop by drop. After much toiling,
they were able to gather a container of water. Rasulullah  washed his
hands and face with that water and then returned the water to the spring. No
sooner he did this and it began gushing forth with water. The entire army used as
much as they needed. Rasulullah  addressed Mu’aaz ibn Jabal 
saying: “If you remain alive, you will see this land green and lush with orchards.”
This fountain is gushing forth till today and you can hear the gushing of the water
from quite a distance.
Rasulullah  remained in Tabuk for twenty days but no one came to

wage battle against him. However, his coming here was not in vain. It was a source
of intimidation for the enemy. The surrounding tribes came and submitted before
him. The leaders from Jarba, Adhruh and Aylah came to him and agreed to make
peace and pay jizyah. Rasulullah  ordered that a peace treaty be written
and signed, and he gave it to them.
It was from this place that Rasulullah  despatched Khaalid ibn
Waleed  with 400 horsemen towards Akidar who was acting on behalf of
Heraclius as the governor of Dumat al-Jandal. When he was departing, Rasulullah
 said to Khaalid ibn Waleed : “You will find him hunting. Do not
kill him. Rather, capture him and bring him to me. If he refuses, you may kill him.”
Khaalid ibn Waleed  reached on a moon-lit night. It was summer. Akidar and
his wife were sitting outside on the balcony of the fortress listening to some
singing. Suddenly a nilgai (type of buck) came and knocked into the fortress.
Akidar, his brother and a few other relatives immediately came down to hunt this
animal. They mounted their horses and gave chase. They had just moved a little
when Khaalid ibn Waleed  reached there. Akidar’s brother, Hassaan, engaged
in combat with Khaalid  and was killed. As for Akidar who was in chase of
an animal was now himself hunted by Khaalid . The latter said to him: “I can
give you refuge from being killed provided you agree to come with me to the
Messenger of Allah .” Akidar agreed to this. Khaalid  took him to
Rasulullah . He agreed to a peace treaty with Rasulullah  after
paying him 2000 camels, 800 horses, 400 coats of armour, and 400 spears.
Masjidud Diraar
After remaining there for 20 days, Rasulullah  returned from Tabuk to
Madinah. When he reached Zi Aawaan, which was about one hour from Madinah,
he sent Maalik ibn Dakhshan and Ma‘n ibn ‘Adiyy in order to demolish and burn
down Masjidud Diraar. This Masjid was built by the hypocrites so that they may
use it as an assembly point to discuss matters against Rasulullah . At the
time when Rasulullah  was departing for Tabuk, the hypocrites came to
him and said: “We have built a Masjid for the sick and excused people. We invite
you to come and offer one Salaah in it so that it may be accepted and be blessed (by
Allah).” Rasulullah  replied: “At present, I am going to Tabuk. I will
decide on my return.” On his return, Rasulullah  ordered the above-
mentioned companions to go and destroy it. The following verses were revealed
with regard to this Masjid:
Chapter 25 525
ۡ ْ ْ ۡ Cۡ ْ ْ
‫ﲔ و ا ْرﺻﺎدًا ﻟ ﻤ ْﻦ ﺣﺎرب اﷲ‬ ‫ﲔ اﻟ ﻤﺆﻣﻨ‬ ‫ﻛﻔ ًﺮا وﺗﻔﺮﻳﻘﺎ ﺑ‬ ‫ارا و‬ ً ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ اﺗﺨ ﺬ ۡوا ﻣ ْﺴﺠ ًﺪا ﺿﺮ‬

‫و‬

ۡ‫﴾ ﻻ ﺗﻘ ْﻢ ﻓﻴﻪ‬۱۰۷﴿ ‫ﻜﺬﺑ ۡﻮن‬ ٰ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۤ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ٗ ۡ
ٰ ‫ وﻟﻴﺤﻠ ﻔ ﻦ ان اردﻧﺎ ا ﻻ اﻟ‬MN‫ﻞ‬
‫ ﻟ‬$ ‫ واﷲ ﺸ ﻬ ﺪ اﻧ‬MN0‫ﺤﺴ‬
‫ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒ‬u ‫ورﺳﻮ‬

ۡ ٌ ۡ ْ ْ ٌ
‫ ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ رﺟﺎل ﻳ ﺤ ﺒ ۡﻮن ان‬MN‫اﻟﺘﻘ ٰﻮي ﻣﻦ ا ول ﻳ ْﻮ ٍم اﺣ ﻖ ان ﺗ ﻘ ۡﻮم ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ‬ ¤ ‫ﺲ ﻋ‬ ‫ ﻟ ﻤ ْﺴﺠﺪ ا ﺳ‬MN‫اﺑ ًﺪا‬

ۡ ْ ۡ
﴾۱۰۸﴿ ‫ﺐ اﻟ ﻤ ﻄ ﻬﺮﻳﻦ‬ ‫ واﷲ ﻳ ﺤ‬MN‫ﻳ ﺘ ﻄ ﻬ ﺮوا‬

“Those who built a Masjid in opposition and upon disbelief, and in order to
promote disunity among the Muslims, and as a lurking place for him who has been
fighting against Allah and His Messenger since before. They will take oaths
(saying): ‘We desired only good.’ Allah testifies that they are liars. Don’t you ever
stand in it! Surely the mosque whose foundation was laid on piety from the very
first day is (more) worthy that you stand therein. In it are people who love to stay
purified. And Allah loves those who stay purified.” [Surah Taubah, verses 107-108]
Rasulullah  also ordered for the house of Suwaylim, a Jew, to be burnt
down. The hypocrites used to gather in his house and hold meetings against
Rasulullah . Talhah  and a few others went and burnt down this
house.
When Rasulullah  neared Madinah, his beloved followers who were
waiting to see his blessed face came out to welcome him. Out of their extreme love
for him, even the womenfolk came outside. The little girls and boys were singing
these lines:
‫طلع الدر علينا من ثنيات الوداع‬
‫ داع‬4 ‫وجب الشكر علينا ما دع‬
‫أيها المبعوث فينا جئت بالمر المطاع‬

“The full moon has appeared before us from the al-Wada‘ mountain pass. It is
incumbent on us to be grateful as long as a person invites towards Allah. O you
who have been commissioned to us! You have come with a religion that has to be
followed.”
When Rasulullah  set his eyes on the houses of Madinah, he said: ‫ﻫﺬه ﻃﺎﺑﺔ‬
– this is Taabah (another name for Madinah). When he set his eyes on Mt. Uhud,
he said: “This mountain loves us and we love it.”
Rasulullah  entered Madinah towards the end of Sha‘baan or the
beginning of Ramadhaan. He first went to the Masjid-e-Nabawi and offered Salaah
therein. After the Salaah, he remained seated in order to meet the people. He then
went to his house in order to rest.
This was the last battle in which Rasulullah  personally took part.
Those who remained behind

When Rasulullah  left for Tabuk, the sincere and devoted believers joined
him. A group of hypocrites did not join him. A few sincere believers also remained
behind. They did not do so out of hypocrisy but because of some excuse.
Abu Zarr Ghifaari  had a camel that was weak and thin. He felt that
when this camel eats and drinks and is able to undertake such a journey, he will
depart after a few days. When he lost hope in his camel recovering, he loaded his
goods onto his back and began walking. In this way, he reached Tabuk all alone.
On seeing him, Rasulullah  said: “May Allah shower His mercy on Abu
Zarr. He is coming all alone, he will die alone and he will be raised alone.”
Eventually, this is what happened. He passed away all alone at a place called
Rabdhah. There was no one to enshroud and bury him. Coincidentally, ‘Abdullah
ibn Mas’ood  was returning from Kufah. He enshrouded and buried him.
Abu Khaysamah  said: “Rasulullah  left for Tabuk whilst I
remained in Madinah. It was extremely hot. One afternoon, my family sprinkled
water around the hut and brought me cold water and food. On seeing all these
(comforts) before me, my conscience pricked me and I thought to myself that this is
totally unfair that Rasulullah  is in the intense heat and the hot desert
winds while I am sitting here in the shade and enjoying myself in these comforts. I
immediately got up, took some dates, mounted my camel and left with great speed.
When I saw the army before me, Rasulullah  recognised me from a
distance and said to the Sahaabah  that Abu Khaysamah is coming. I
presented myself before Rasulullah  and narrated my story to him. He
made dua in my favour.”
The following three personalities were also among the Muslims who remained
behind: Ka‘b ibn Maalik , Muraarah ibnur Rabi‘  and Hilaal ibn
Umayyah .
Imaam Bukhaari  narrates the story of Ka‘b ibn Maalik  as follows.
Ka’b  relates, “Rasulullah  departed while I was still making
preparations for the journey. I thought to myself that once I have all my goods
ready, I will depart in a day or two and catch up with Rasulullah . I
delayed in this regard whilst the caravan had covered quite a distance. No one
remained in Madinah except a few hypocrites and a few people who were excused
(due to valid reasons). When I used to look at this, I would feel saddened. When
Rasulullah  returned from Tabuk, the hypocrites went and offered false
Chapter 25 527
excuses to him. Rasulullah  accepted their excuses outwardly and left the
condition of their hearts to Allah Ta’ala.
Ka‘b ibn Maalik  says: I made a firm determination that I will never
remain behind from participating in a battle and then speak lies to Rasulullah
. Therefore, when Rasulullah  returned, I presented myself
before him and greeted him. He turned away from me. I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah!
Why are you turning away from me? I take an oath by Allah that I am not a
hypocrite, I am not in any doubt, nor have I renegaded from Islam.’ He asked:
‘Why did you remain behind?’ I replied: ‘O Messenger of Allah! If I was sitting
before some worldly leader, I could have made up some story and saved myself
from his anger. However, you are the Messenger of Allah. Even if I were to lie to
appease you, it is possible that Allah Ta’ala will cause you to become angry at me.
If I speak the truth to you, despite earning your anger, I hope that Allah Ta’ala will
forgive me by His grace. The fact of the matter is that I have no excuse. I am at
fault.’ Rasulullah  said: ‘This person has spoken the truth. You may wait
until Allah Ta’ala reveals some order concerning you.’ In a like manner Muraarah
ibn Rabi‘  and Hilaal ibn Umayyah  went to Rasulullah  and
admitted their faults. Rasulullah  ordered that no one should speak to us
for 50 days. Consequently, everyone stopped speaking to us. Our friends, relatives
and beloved ones all seemed like strangers to us. My two friends (Muraarah and
Hilaal) remained in their homes because of weakness and spent their days and
nights crying. On the other hand, I was young. I used to attend the congregational
Salaah. Fifty days passed in these difficult and trying circumstances. This continued
to such an extent that this earth seemed constricted before us. My greatest worry
was that if I were to pass away during this period, Rasulullah  and the
Muslims would not even offer the Janaazah Salaah for me. After fifty days, I heard
this announcement from Mt. Sila‘: ‘O Ka‘b! Take glad tidings.’
‘No sooner I heard this announcement, I fell into sajdah and realised that the
difficulty has now been removed. Rasulullah  had announced that our
repentance had been accepted. People came from all directions in order to
congratulate me and my two friends. The people were saying to me: ‘May Allah’s
acceptance of your repentance be blessed.’ When the person who gave the glad
tidings came to me, I immediately removed my garment and gave it to him. I then
presented myself before Rasulullah . He was sitting in the Masjid. The
moment I stepped into the Masjid, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah  came running
towards me, embraced me and congratulated me. No one else stood up. By Allah, I
will never forget this act of Talhah. Rasulullah’s  face was beaming like
the full moon. I greeted him and he said:
‫أبش بي يوم مر عليك منذ ولتك أمك‬

‘Take glad tidings with the best day that you experienced ever since your mother
gave birth to you.’
Without doubt, the day on which Ka‘b ibn Maalik  embraced Islam was the
best day in his life. However, this day was even better because it was on this day
that Allah accepted his repentance. It was this acceptance that put a seal on his
Imaan and his sincerity forever. The following verses were revealed:
ْ H ْ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ اﺗﺒﻌ ۡﻮه ﰲۡ ﺳﺎﻋﺔ اﻟْﻌ‬ ۡ ۡ ْ ۡ

‫ﻛﺎد‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺪ‬ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﻦ‬‫ﻣ‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﺴ‬ ‫ﺎر‬ ‫ﺼ‬ ‫اﻟﻨ و اﻟ ﻤ ٰﻬﺠﺮﻳ ۡﻦ و اﻻﻧ‬ ¤ ‫ﻟ ﻘﺪ ﺗﺎب اﷲ ﻋ‬

ۡ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﺧﻠﻔﻮا‬ ٰ ٌ ۡ ٌ ۡ ْ ٗ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫اﻟﺜﻠ ﺜﺔ‬ ¤ ‫﴾ و ﻋ‬۱۱۷ ۙ ﴿ ‫ رءوف رﺣﻴﻢ‬$‫ اﻧﻪ ﺑ‬MN$‫ ﺛﻢ ﺗﺎب ﻋ ﻠﻴ‬$ ‫ﻎ ﻗﻠﻮب ﻓﺮﻳ ٍﻖ ﻣﻨ‬
‫ﻳ ﺰﻳ‬
ْ ۡ ۤ ۡ
‫ و ﻇ ﻨ ۡﻮا ان ﻻ ﻣﻠﺠﺎ ﻣﻦ اﷲ‬$ ْ ‫ اﻧ ۡﻔﺴ‬$ ۡ ‫ﺖ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬ ْ
‫ﺎﻗ‬ ‫ﺿ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺖ‬
ْ
‫ﺒ‬ ‫ﺣ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﺎ‬‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ض‬ ْ ‫ اﻻ‬$‫ﺖ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬
‫ر‬
ْ MN
‫ﺿﺎﻗ‬ ‫ﺣ « ا ذا‬
‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨﻮا اﺗ ﻘﻮا اﷲ‬ ‫﴾ ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬۱۱۸٪ ﴿ ‫اﻟﺘﻮاب اﻟﺮﺣ ۡﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻫﻮ‬ ‫ ا ن اﷲ‬MN‫ ﻟﻴﺘ ۡﻮﺑ ۡﻮا‬$ ْ ‫ ﺛﻢ ﺗﺎب ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬MN‫ا ﻻ ۤ اﻟ ۡﻴﻪ‬

ۡ ٰ
﴾۱۱۹﴿ ‫ﲔ‬ ‫اﻟﺼﺪﻗ‬ ‫ﻊ‬ ‫وﻛ ۡﻮﻧ ۡﻮا ﻣ‬

“Allah turned in kindness to the Prophet, and the Emigrants and the Helpers who
stood by the Prophet in the hour of distress, after the hearts of a group of them were
on the point of turning. He then turned again in kindness to them. Surely He is kind
and merciful to them. And (He turned in kindness) to those three persons who were
kept behind until the land became constricted upon them, despite its vastness, and
their own lives became constricted upon them and they realised that there was no
refuge from Allah except towards Him. He then turned in kindness to them so that
they may return. Surely Allah alone is kind, merciful. O believers! Continually fear
Allah and remain with the truthful.” [Surah Taubah, verses 117-119]
I said to Rasulullah : ‘O Messenger of Allah! I intend giving all my
wealth in charity in appreciation for the acceptance of my repentance.’ He said:
‘Don’t give all, keep some for yourself.’ I kept the share which I received from
Khaybar and gave the rest in charity. I said to Rasulullah : ‘O Messenger
of Allah! It is solely because of my truth that Allah Ta’ala saved me. In order to
perfect my repentance, I will speak nothing but the truth for as long as I live.’”
Abu Bakr  is appointed Ameer of Haj
In Zul Qa‘dah 9 A.H. Rasulullah  appointed Abu Bakr  as the

Ameer of the Haj and sent him to Makkah. Three hundred people accompanied
him from Madinah. He took 20 camels for sacrifice (Qurbaani) with him. The
Chapter 25 529
purpose of sending him was so that he could teach the people the method of
performing Haj. Furthermore, he should announce the 40 verses of Surah at-
Taubah which were with regard to those who broke their covenant. These verses
announced that after this year, the disbelievers should not come near the Sacred
Masjid. They should not circuit the Ka‘bah naked. The covenant that Rasulullah
 made with any group will be fulfilled. As for those with whom no
covenant was made, they will be given respite for four months from the 10th of Zul
Hijjah.
After Abu Bakr  departed, Rasulullah  felt that these
announcements concerning the maintaining and severing of the covenants should
be made by someone who was from his family. The reason for this was that the
Arabs only accept the statement of those who are family to the person who made
the covenant. It is for this reason that Rasulullah  summoned Ali ,
gave him his camel, ‘Adbaa’, and sent him off towards Abu Bakr  instructing
him to announce the verses of Surah Taubah in the Haj season. From some
Ahaadith it seems that the verses of Surah Taubah were revealed after Abu Bakr’s
 departure. Therefore, Rasulullah  sent Ali  later on in order
to announce these verses.
When Abu Bakr  heard the sounds of the camel, he thought that
Rasulullah  had personally come. He stopped and waited. He then saw
Ali  approaching. He asked him: “Have you come as an Ameer or as my
follower?” Ali  replied: “I have come as your follower. I have merely come to
announce the verses of Surah Taubah.” Abu Bakr  therefore conducted the
rites of Haj and also delivered the Haj sermon. Ali  merely announced the
verses of Surah Taubah on the 10th of Zul Hijjah at Mina, near the Jamaratul
‘Aqabah. Abu Bakr  appointed a few people to help Ali  so that they
could take turns in making this announcement.
Consequently, these announcements were made. The people were informed
that no disbeliever will be permitted to enter the Sacred Masjid. No disbeliever will
be permitted to perform the Haj the following year. No one will be permitted to
circuit the Ka‘bah naked. The covenant that Rasulullah  made with
anyone will be fulfilled according to the time that was agreed upon. Those with
whom no covenant was made or no time was specified will be given a respite of
four months. If he does not embrace Islam within the four months, he will be killed
wherever he is found.
It is stated in one Hadith that when Ali  caught up with Abu Bakr 
at Zul Hulayfah and informed him that Rasulullah  sent him to announce
the verses of Surah Taubah, he thought that some order concerning him was
revealed to Rasulullah . He therefore returned immediately to Madinah
and asked Rasulullah  about this. Rasulullah  replied: “No! You
were my companion in the cave (of Mt. Thaur) and you will be my companion at
the pond of Kauthar (on the day of resurrection). However, the announcement of
the verses cannot be made by anyone except me or someone from my family. It is
for this reason that I sent Ali.”
Various incidents that took place in 9 A. H.

1. In the month of Zul Qa‘dah, the leader of the hypocrites, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy
ibn Salool died. The following verse was revealed concerning him:
‫ﻫ ْﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ‫ اﻧ‬MN‫ ﻗ ْﱪه‬¤ٰ ‫ ﻣﺎت اﺑ ًﺪا وﻻ ﺗﻘ ْﻢ ﻋ‬$

ۡ ْ ‫ ا‬¤ ‫وﻻ ﺗﺼﻞ ﻋ‬
‫ و ﻣﺎﺗﻮا و‬u
ٖ ‫ﻛ ﻔﺮوا ﺑﺎﷲ ور ﺳﻮ‬
$ ٖ ‫ﺣ ٍﺪ ﻣﻨ‬
﴾۸۴﴿ ‫ﻓٰﺴ ﻘ ۡﻮن‬

“Never offer Salaah over any of them who has died, nor stand over his grave. They
rejected Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were disobedient.”
[Surah Taubah, verse 84]
Note: It is prohibited to attend the funeral of a disbeliever and to stand at his
graveside. This is irrespective of whether the deceased is a Hindu or a Christian.
This is notwithstanding the fact that the disbelief of an idol worshipper is more
severe than the disbelief of a Christian or Jew.
2. Najaashi, the king of Abysinnia passed away in this year. Rasulullah 
received news of his death on the very day that he passed away, via divine
revelation. Rasulullah  gathered the Sahaabah  and performed his
Janaazah Salaah in absentia.
3. The injunction concerning the prohibition of usury (interest) was revealed in this
year. Rasulullah  made a general announcement of its prohibition one
year later on the occasion of the Farewell Haj.
4. The injunction concerning li‘aan was revealed in this year. Details in this regard
are mentioned in Surah an-Noor.
5. The verse concerning jizyah for those who did not embrace Islam but wished to
live under the protection of the Islamic state was revealed in this year. Allah Ta’ala
says:
ٰۡ ْ ْ
ٗ ‫اﻻﺧﺮ و ﻻ ﻳﺤﺮﻣ ۡﻮن ﻣﺎ ﺣﺮم اﷲ ورﺳ ۡﻮ‬
‫ و ﻻ‬u ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻻ ﻳﺆﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮن ﺑﺎﷲ و ﻻ ﺑﺎﻟﻴ ْﻮم‬ ‫ﻗﺎﺗﻠﻮا‬

﴾Â۲۹﴿ ‫ﻫ ْﻢ ٰﺻﻐﺮ ۡون‬ ۡ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ا ۡوﺗﻮا اﻟْﻜ ٰﺘﺐ ﺣ ٰ« ﻳ ْﻌﻄﻮا اﻟْﺠ ْﺰﻳﺔ ﻋ‬
‫ﻦ ﻳ ٍﺪ و‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻖ‬ ‫ﺤ‬
ْ ۡ
‫ﻳﺪﻳ ۡﻨ ۡﻮن دﻳﻦ اﻟ‬

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the last day, and do not consider
forbidden that which Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, and who do not
embrace the true religion from amongst those who are the people of the Book until
they pay the jizyah (exemption tax) by their own hands while being subdued.”
[Surah Taubah, verse 29]
Chapter 26
The 10th year A.H. – The year of delegations
The largest tribe among the Arabs was that of the Quraysh. Its leadership was an
accepted fact. No one denied the fact that the Quraysh was from the progeny of
Ismaa-eel . It was well known for its intelligence, insight, generosity and
bravery. It was the custodian of the Sacred Masjid. However, the members of this
tribe were bent on their opposition and enmity to Islam. The other Arab tribes were
observing the Quraysh to see what they would do with regard to Rasulullah
. The youngsters from the Quraysh had embraced Islam from the
beginning and were continuing to do so. However, the seniors were still left. When
Makkah was conquered and the seniors also began embracing Islam, the other
Arabs tribes concluded that Islam was the true religion and that it would certainly
spread throughout the world. No power would succeed in going against it.
Therefore, no sooner Makkah was conquered, delegations from all directions began
pouring in. Representatives and delegates from all the tribes began presenting
themselves before Rasulullah . Once they learnt the truth about Islam,
they would embrace Islam and promise to make an effort on the rest of their people
as well. Allah Ta’ala says:
‫ﻚ‬
ْ ْ
ً ‫اﻟﻨﺎس ﻳﺪﺧﻠ ۡﻮن ﰲۡ دﻳۡﻦ اﷲ اﻓﻮ‬
ْ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺴﺒ‬۲﴿ ‫اﺟﺎ‬ ْ ۡ ‫ ۙ﴾ و راﻳ‬۱﴿ ‫ﺼﺮ اﷲ و اﻟْﻔ ْﺘﺢ‬ْ ‫اذا ﺟﺂء ﻧ‬
‫ﺤﻤﺪ ر ﺑ‬
‫ﺢﺑ‬ ‫ﺖ‬

ٗ ْ ْ
﴾٪ ۳﴿ ‫ﻛﺎن ﺗ ﻮاﺑًﺎ‬ ‫ اﻧﻪ‬ÒN N ‫اﺳﺘﻐﻔ ْﺮه‬ ‫و‬

“When the help of Allah and victory comes, and you see the people entering the
religion of Allah in groups, then glorify the praises of your Sustainer and seek His
forgiveness. Surely He accepts repentance.” [Surah Nasr]
Delegations had already started towards the end of 8 A.H. However, there was
more continuity between 8 A.H. and 10 A.H. in this regard. These two years are
531
therefore known as the years of delegations. ‘Allaamah Qastalaani enumerates 35

delegations.
1. The delegation of Hawaazin

This was the first delegation that came to Rasulullah  after the conquest
of Makkah. When Rasulullah  was at Ji’irraanah, a delegation of 14
people came in order to obtain the release of their wealth and prisoners. Details in
this regard were given under the battle of Hunayn. Zuhayr ibn Surw Sa‘di was the
head of this delegation. He stood up saying: “O Messenger of Allah! Your foster
aunts are also among the prisoners. Those who brought you up are also there. They
are the ones who used to hold you to their bosoms (when you were a baby). Had
we breast-fed Haaris Ghassaani and Nu‘maan ibn Mundhir, we would have
certainly hoped for some help from them during such times of difficulty. Whereas
you are the best one whom we took care of. He then said the following lines:
“O Messenger of Allah! Be kind to us by virtue of your grace and mercy. Surely you
are a person from whom we hope and await mercy. Be kind to the tribe whose needs
have been curtailed by destiny. Its structure has become disorganised by the
changes in time. O the best child that was born and chosen in the world when
mankind was given all this. If your bounty and kindness does not see to them, they
will be destroyed. O you whose scale of forbearance is the heaviest, and whose
forbearance is clearly apparent at the time of tests and tribulations! Show kindness
to us. Be kind to those women whose milk you used to drink and whose pure and
flowing milk you used to fill your mouth with. Do not make us like those people
whose feet slipped. Let your kindness and generosity remain with us forever. We are
a noble people who do not forget anyone’s kindness. We are grateful for favours
that are done to us, when others show ingratitude. After this day, we will always
have occasion to show gratitude. Cover those mothers, who breast fed you, with
your pardon. Surely your pardon is well known. O you, on account of whose horse,
other lazy horses come to life and vigour when the fires of war are ignited. We hope
for such pardon from you that it completely engulfs all of them when you pardon
and take recompense. Therefore forgive us. May Allah protect you from the fears of
the day of resurrection and bestow you with success.”
Rasulullah  said: “The share that has come to me and my family, the
Banu ‘Abdul Muttalib, I will give to you. As for the share that went to the rest of
the Muslims, I will intercede on your behalf.” Rasulullah  spoke to the
rest of the Muslims and they all happily freed the prisoners. A few people delayed
in this matter so Rasulullah  paid the ransom. In this way, the delegation
returned with 6000 of its wives and children.
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2. The delegation of Saqeef

In Ramadhaan 9 A.H. the delegation of Saqeef came to Rasulullah  to
embrace Islam and pledge allegiance at his hands. This was the very Saqeef that
caused Rasulullah  and the Sahaabah  severe difficulties during
the siege of Taa’if. The Muslims had to return without conquering the fort of
Taa’if.
When Rasulullah  abandoned the siege of Taa’if and was returning
from there, someone said to him: “O Messenger of Allah! Curse them because their
arrows repulsed us.” Rasulullah  replied:
َ ۡ ‫ا َ ّٰلله َّم ا ۡه ِد ثَق ِۡي َفا وائت به ۡم ُم ۡسلِم‬
‫ي‬ ِ ِِ
“O Allah! Guide the Saqeef and bring them to me as Muslims.”
Rasulullah’s  dua was accepted. When Rasulullah  was
returning from Tabuk, eight months after the martyrdom of ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ood
Saqafi, the Saqeef came to Madinah, embraced Islam and pledged allegiance to
Rasulullah . This delegation comprised of six people under the leadership
of ‘Abd Yaalil. It was either rebellion or extreme enthusiasm that they voluntarily
came to Rasulullah  in order to enter the circle of Islam. The Muslims
were therefore extremely happy with their arrival. Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah 
was the first to see them approaching. When he saw them, he hastened to give
Rasulullah  the good news. Abu Bakr  met him on the way and
when he learnt why he was so happy, he asked him permission to go and inform
Rasulullah  himself. Mughirah  permitted him. Abu Bakr 
went to Rasulullah  and gave him the glad tidings. Rasulullah 
pitched a special tent in Masjid-e-Nabawi for their stay in Madinah. He did this so
that they may hear the recitation of the Qur-aan and see how Salaah is offered.
Khaalid ibn Sa’eed ibn ’Aas  was made responsible to see to their needs.
These people would never eat the food that he presented to them unless he ate
thereof first. If they had anything to say to Rasulullah , they would
convey it to him via Khaalid.
They sent the following conditions to Rasulullah :
1. They should be absolved from offering Salaah.
2. Laat (which was their senior idol) should not be broken down for three years
because their women and children are greatly attached to it.
3. The idol should not be broken by their own hands.
Rasulullah  rejected the first two conditions totally and said to them:
‫ة فيه‬K‫ ص‬O ‫ خي ف دين‬O

“There is no good in that religion which has no Salaah.”
Rasulullah  accepted the third condition. They all embraced Islam and
returned to their homeland.
‘Usmaan ibn Abil ’Aas was the youngest person in this delegation. He was
appointed as their leader. He had the most desire to acquire knowledge of the Qur-
aan and Islamic injunctions. Acting on the advice of Abu Bakr , Rasulullah
 appointed him as the Ameer. Rasulullah  also sent Abu
Sufyaan ibn Harb  and Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah  with him in order to
destroy the idol, Laat. For some reason or the other, Abu Sufyaan lagged behind.
Mughirah went ahead and struck this idol. The womenfolk of the Saqeef came out
bare-headed and barefoot in order to watch this scene. Mughirah broke the idol
down and took all the treasures, jewellery, etc. that were in the temple. He first
paid off the debts of Abu Fulayh and Qaarib ibn al-Aswad who was the son and
nephew of ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ood Thaqafi. The remaining wealth was presented to
Rasulullah  who immediately distributed it amongst the Muslims.
Rasulullah  thanked Allah Ta’ala for helping His religion and giving
honour to His Messenger . When the people of Taa’if embraced Islam
after the martyrdom of ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ood, Abu Fulayh and Qaarib ibnul Aswad
came to Rasulullah  before the delegation of Saqeef could come to him.
They both embraced Islam and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Our father’s, i.e.
‘Urwah and al-Aswad, debts should be paid off from the treasures that are housed
in the temple of Laat.” ‘Urwah and al-Aswad were blood brothers. ‘Urwah had
embraced Islam and was martyred, as mentioned previously. Abu Fulayh was the
son of ‘Urwah. Al-Aswad passed away as a disbeliever. Qaarib was his son. Both of
them asked for the payment of their fathers debts. Rasulullah  said: “Al-
Aswad passed away as a disbeliever.” Qaarib said: “O Messenger of Allah! He
certainly passed away as a disbeliever. However, it is my responsibility to pay off
his debts.” Rasulullah  said to Abu Sufyaan: “Whatever treasures you
obtain from the temple of Laat should first be used to pay off the debts of Abu
Fulayh and Qaarib.”
3. The delegation of Banu ‘Aamir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah

After returning from Tabuk, the Banu ‘Aamir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah came to Rasulullah
. ‘Aamir ibn Tufayl and Arbad ibn Qays were also in this delegation. In
the course of their discussions, they addressed Rasulullah  thus: “You are
our master.” Rasulullah  replied: “Say what is in your heart and do not let
shaytaan mock at you. It is only Allah who is the master.” They pretended to praise
Chapter 26 535
Rasulullah  outwardly, while ‘Aamir had secretly told Arbad that while
he was engaging Rasulullah  in a conversation, he must unsheath his
sword and kill Rasulullah . ‘Aamir started talking with Rasulullah
. He said: “O Muhammad! Make me your sincere friend.” He replied:
“Never – as long as you do not believe in one Allah.” He asked: “What will you
give me if I embrace Islam?” Rasulullah  said: “Once you embrace Islam,
you will enjoy the same rights and shoulder the same responsibilities as other
Muslims.” ‘Aamir said: “Give me power and authority after you.” Rasulullah
 said: “Never.” He said: “You may rule over the people of the rural areas
while I will rule over the towns and cities. If not, I will bring the Ghatfaan tribe
and attack you. I will fill Madinah with the infantry and the cavalry.” Rasulullah
 said: “Allah will not give you such power.” The conversation ended and
when both stood up, Rasulullah  made the following dua: “O Allah!
Protect me from the mischief of ‘Aamir ibn Tufayl and guide his people.” When he
went outside, ‘Aamir said to Arbad: “How sad. I waited for you but you did not
even attack.” Arbad replied: “Whenever I unsheathed my sword, I saw something
or the other as a barrier before me. Once I saw a wall made of iron, then I saw a
camel that wanted to swallow my head.”
When this delegation left Rasulullah , ‘Aamir was destroyed by a
plague. Since the Arabs consider it a shame to die on a bed, he asked the people to
seat him on a horse. He got onto a horse and took a spear in his hand. He then said:
“O angel of death, come before me.” While saying this, he fell from the horse and
he was buried at that very place. When the delegation reached the place of Banu
‘Aamir, the people asked Arbad about the journey. He said: “His religion is
worthless. By Allah, if he (Muhammad ) was in front of me now, I would
have killed him with arrows.” Within two days he mounted a camel and left.
Lightning immediately struck him and he was conveyed to hell. Both ‘Aamir and
Arbad were deprived of Islam while most of the remainder of their tribe embraced
Islam.
4. The delegation of ‘Abd al-Qays

This was a very large tribe. They lived in Bahrain. A delegation from the tribe
came to Rasulullah  on two occasions. The first delegation came before
the conquest of Makkah – in 5 A.H. or even before that. There were 13-14 delegates
in that delegation. When they came, Rasulullah  said to them:
ٰ
‫ ندام‬O‫مرحبا بالقوم غي خزايا و‬
“Welcome to you. You will neither be disgraced nor will you have cause for
remorse.”
The delegation said: “O Messenger of Allah! The disbelievers from the Mudar tribe
are an obstacle between us and you. We can only come to you in the sacred months
in which the Arabs consider it prohibited to loot and kill. Therefore, teach us
something that is so comprehensive and short, that if we do it, we will enter into
paradise and to which we could also invite the rest of our tribe.” Rasulullah
 said: “Believe in Allah and testify that He is one, He has no partners.
Establish Salaah and give zakaah. Give one fifth of the booty in the cause of Allah.
And do not soak dates in four types of containers: dubba’, naqeer, hantam and
muzaffat.”
When this delegation came to Madinah, these people jumped from their
camels out of their extreme desire to see Rasulullah . They presented
themselves before him and kissed his hand. Ashaj ‘Abd al-Qays Mubhami, whose
name was Munzir, was also in this delegation. He was the youngest person in this
delegation. He first seated all the camels and placed the goods on one side. He then
removed two clean pieces of white cloth from his trunk. He wore these and
presented himself before Rasulullah . He shook hands with Rasulullah
 and kissed his hand. Rasulullah  said to him: “You have two
qualities in you which are liked by Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger . One
is forbearance and the other is dignity.” Ashaj said: “O Messenger of Allah! Are
these two qualities found naturally in me or did I go to pains in adopting them?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Allah Ta’ala created you like this from birth.” On
hearing this, he said: “All praise is due to Allah who created me with two qualities
which Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger  love.”
5. The delegation of Banu Hanifah – 9 A.H.

This delegation came to Rasulullah  in 9 A.H. The notorious Musaylamah
Kazzaab was also in this delegation. However, due to his pride and haughtiness, he
did not meet Rasulullah . Rasulullah  himself went to him with
Saabit ibn Qays ibn Shammaas. He said to Rasulullah : “If you give me
caliphate and make me your deputy after you, I am prepared to pledge allegiance to
you.” Rasulullah  had a branch of the date tree in his hand at that time.
He therefore said to him: “Even if you ask me for this branch, I will not give it to
you. You will never be able to turn away from what Allah has destined for you. It
is probably you who I have been shown in my dream. Here is Saabit ibn Qays. He
will reply to you.” On saying this, Rasulullah  returned from there.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says: “I asked Abu Hurayrah  as to what dream
Rasulullah  was shown.” He replied: “Rasulullah  said: ‘I saw a
dream in which two gold blankets were placed in my hands. I became very afraid
on seeing them. In my dream I was asked to blow onto them. After blowing on
them, they flew away.” The interpretation of this is that there will be two imposters
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(claiming prophet-hood). One of them was Musaylamah and the other was Aswad
‘Ansi. The latter was killed during Rasulullah’s  life while Musaylamah
was killed during the caliphate of Abu Bakr .
‫ي‬ ِ َ ۡ ‫َف ُق ِط َع َداب ُر ۡال َق ۡو ِم َّال ِۡي َن َظلَ ُم ۡوا َو‬

َ ۡ ‫ِ َر ّب ۡال ٰعلَم‬4ّٰ ِ ‫ال ۡم ُد‬
ِ ِ
“The power of those who wronged themselves was severed. And all praise is due to
Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds.”
In 10 A.H. Musaylamah wrote the following letter to Rasulullah :
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ أما بعد فإن قد أشكت‬4‫ إ¯ ممد رسول ا‬4‫من مسيلمة رسول ا‬
‫معك ف المر وإن لا نصف الرض ولقريش نصفها ولكن قريشا‬
‫م‬K‫ ينصفون والس‬O
“From Musaylamah, the messenger of Allah, to Muhammad the Messenger of Allah.
I have been made a partner in the religion. Half the land will be for us and the other
half for the Quraysh. However, the Quraysh are not just. Wassalaam.”
Rasulullah  sent the following reply:
ّٰ ّٰ
.‫ إ¯ مسيلمة الكذاب‬4‫ من ممد رسول ا‬.‫ الرحن الرحيم‬4‫بسم ا‬
ّٰ
‫ يورثها من‬4 ‫ فإن الرض‬.‫م < من اتبع الهدى‬K‫أما بعد فالس‬
‫يشاء من عباده والعاقبة للمتقي‬
“In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. From Muhammad, the
Messenger of Allah, to Musaylamah, the imposter. Peace be on he who follows
guidance. The land belongs to Allah. He gives it in inheritance to whomever He
wills from His servants. The good outcome is for those who fear (Allah).”
This incident took place on Rasulullah’s  return from the Farewell Haj.
6. The delegation of Tayy

The delegation from the Tayy tribe comprised of 15 delegates. Their leader was
Zaid al-Khayl. Rasulullah  presented Islam to them and they all readily
and gladly accepted. Rasulullah  changed the leader’s name to Zaid al-
Khayr and said to him: “Of all the Arabs whose praises I heard, I found them to be
less than the praises that were showered on them. However, you are an exception.”
7. The delegation of Kindah

Kindah is the name of a tribe from Yemen. A delegation of 80 came to Rasulullah
 in 10 A.H. Their leader was Ash‘ath ibn Qays. When they came to
Rasulullah , they were wearing gowns that were bordered with silk.
Rasulullah  asked them: “Are you not Muslims?” They replied: “Why
not? We are certainly Muslims.” Rasulullah  asked: “Then what is this
silk around your necks?” They immediately took off these garments and discarded
them.
8. The delegation of Ash‘ariyyin

The Ash‘ariyyin was a very noble and large tribe from Yemen which was
attributed to their forefather, Ash‘ar. The reason why he was given this name was
that when he was born he had a lot of hair on his body. The word Ash‘ar means
having a lot of hair. Abu Musa Ash’ari  was from this tribe. When this
delegation departed from Yemen, they sang this line with much enthusiasm:
‫غدا نلق الحبه ممدا وحزبه‬

“Tomorrow we will meet with our beloved ones, Muhammad  and his
group of followers.”
On the other end, Rasulullah  informed his Sahaabah  that a group
of people who are very soft hearted are going to come. When the Ash‘ariyyin
reached Madinah, Rasulullah  addressed the Sahaabah  saying:
The people of Yemen have come. They are very soft hearted people. (In other
words, they are free from hard-heartedness. They readily accept the truth. They are
not so hard that any admonition and wise words do not affect them). It is for this
reason that Imaan is Yemeni and wisdom is also Yemeni. (In other words, the result
of their soft heartednes is that their hearts are store-houses of Imaan and
recognition (of Allah) and fountains of knowledge and wisdom.)
How true these words of Rasulullah  are! It is soft-heartedness alone
that is the fountain of all good. Hard-heartedness is the root of all evil.
Because the people of Yemen used to tend to sheep and goats, he said that
peace, tranquillity, dignity and humility are qualities that are found in people who
tend to sheep and goats. As for pride and haughtiness, these are qualities that are
found in people who tend to camels. Rasulullah  was referring to the
disbelievers.
The delegates said to Rasulullah : “O Messenger of Allah! We have
come to gain a deep understanding of Islam and to learn about the beginning of the
creation of the universe.” Rasulullah  said: “First of all, there was Allah.
Chapter 26 539
There was nothing apart from Him. His throne was on water. (In other words, the
commencement of the universe was with water and the throne. Water was created
first and then the throne). The heavens and the earth were then created. Everything
was recorded in the Preserved Tablet.”
9. The delegation of Azd

The delegation of the Azd tribe came to Rasulullah  and embraced Islam.
This delegation had 15 delegates, among whom was Surad ibn ‘Abdullah Azdi.
Rasulullah  appointed him as their leader and ordered him to wage
Jihaad against the disbelievers that lived around them. He took a group of Muslims
and laid siege to a town called Jarsh. The siege lasted for one month with no
victory. He therefore turned to leave. The residents of Jarsh assumed that his
turning away was his defeat. They therefore gave chase to him. When the Muslims
reached the Mt. Shakr, they turned around and attacked the people of Jarsh. They
were thus defeated.
In the meantime, the people of Jarsh had sent two representatives to Madinah.
Rasulullah  informed them of the defeat at Mt. Shakr on the very day
that it took place. When these representatives returned home and gave all the
details to them, a delegation went to Madinah and embraced Islam.
10. The delegation of Banu Haaris

The Banu Haaris was a respectable family of Najraan. It was either in Rabi‘ul-
Aakhir or Jumaadal-Ula 10. A.H. that Rasulullah  sent Khaalid ibn
Waleed  to invite them towards Islam for three days. If they do not embrace
Islam within this period, he should wage Jihaad against them. When Khaalid 
went there, they embraced Islam immediately. He also sent others to the
surrounding areas in order to invite the people towards Islam. The people of these
areas embraced Islam willingly. Khaalid  sent a letter to Rasulullah
 giving him this good news. Rasulullah  replied, instructing
him to return with a delegation from there. Khaalid  took a delegation to
Madinah. Qays ibn Husayn, Yazeed ibn Mihjal and Shaddaad ibn ‘Abdullah were
also among the delegates. When these people presented themselves before
Rasulullah , he asked:
‫ء القوم الين كأنهم رجال الهند‬O‫من هؤ‬

“Who are these people who look like Indians?”
They replied: “We are the Banu Haaris. We bear witness that you are the
Messenger of Allah and that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah.”
These people were a very brave nation and were always victorious over their
adversaries. Rasulullah  therefore asked them the basis for their victories
and successes. They replied: “We always remain united – we never differ with each
other. We are not envious of each other. We do not go on the offensive. We remain
patient during times of difficulty and hardship.” Rasulullah  said: “You
are correct.” He then appointed Qays ibn Husayn as their Ameer and sent ‘Amr ibn
Hazm  to collect the charities from them. Rasulullah  had the
injunctions of zakaah and other charities written down and sent with him.
This delegation returned to its people in Shawwaal or Zul Qa‘dah. Within four
months after their return, Rasulullah  departed from this world.
11. The delegation of Hamdaan

The Hamdaan is a big tribe of Yemen. Rasulullah  sent Khaalid ibn
Waleed  to them to invite them towards Islam. He remained doing so for six
months but no one embraced Islam. Rasulullah  sent Ali  with a
letter and told him to ask Khaalid  to return. Ali  went there, gathered
everyone, and read the letter to them. He invited them to Islam and they all
accepted in one day. Ali  wrote a letter to Rasulullah  and
informed him of this. Rasulullah  immediately fell into sajdah and
thanked Allah Ta’ala. Out of extreme happiness, he repeatedly said: “Peace be on
the Hamdaan.”
This incident took place in 8 A.H. when Rasulullah  was returning
from Taa’if. A year later, a delegation of Hamdaan came to meet Rasulullah
. When they arrived, they were wearing the embossed shawls of Yemen,
the turbans of Aden and riding on beautiful camels. They conversed with
Rasulullah  in a very beautiful and eloquent manner. He acceded to
whatever requests they made and gave them a letter and appointed Maalib ibn
Namt, who was one of the delegates, as their leader. Hasan ibn Ya‘qoob Hamdaani
says that this delegation had 120 delegates.
12. The delegation of Muzaynah

In 5 A.H. 400 people from the Muzaynah tribe came to Rasulullah  and
embraced Islam. When they were departing, they said to Rasulullah  that
they had no provisions for the journey and that he should give them some. He
ordered ‘Umar  to give some provisions to them. He replied that he had very
little dates and that they will not be sufficient for these people. Rasulullah
 said: “Go and give them some provisions.” ‘Umar  took them to
Chapter 26 541
his home and each one took as much dates as he needed. At the end, there was not
a single date less in his sack of dates.
Kaseer ibn ‘Abdillah al-Muzani  narrates from his father who narrates
from his grandfather that the Muzaynah tribe was the first to present itself before
Rasulullah .
13. The delegation of Daus

About 70-80 delegates from this tribe came to Rasulullah  in 7 A.H. after
the battle of Khaybar. Details in this regard were given under the incident
concerning Tufayl ibn ‘Umar Dausi’s  acceptance of Islam.
14. The delegation of Christians from Najraan

Najraan was the name of a large city in Yemen. There were 73 districts and villages
that were under it. Najraan ibn Zaid was the first person to come and settle in this
place. The city was therefore named after him. Ukhdud, a place that is mentioned
in Surah al-Burooj was a district that fell under Najraan.
In 9 A.H., a delegation of 60 delegates from the Christians of Najraan came to
Madinah. Fourteen of these delegates were their noblemen and leaders. ‘Abdul
Maseeh was their leader while Ayham acted as their minister, consultant and
organiser. Their chief bishop was Abu Haarisah ibn ‘Alqamah. He was originally
from the Arab tribe of Bakr ibn Waa’il. He became a Christian. The kings of Rome
respected him greatly because of his knowledge, virtue, religious capabilities and
fortitude. They had given him many properties. He was also appointed as the head
of the church.
This delegation came to Madinah with much pomp and show. Rasulullah
 settled them into the Masjid-e-Nabawi. The Asr Salaah had just been
performed. When the time for their prayer came, they wanted to perform it. The
Sahaabah  stopped them, but Rasulullah  said to them that they
may offer their Salaah. They turned towards the east and did so.
In the course of their stay, various matters were discussed. First of all, a
discussion concerning the “divinity” of ‘Isa  and his being the “son of God”
commenced.
The Christian delegation: “If ‘Isa  is not the son of God, then who is his
father?”
Rasulullah : “You know very well that the son looks like his father.”
The Christian delegation: “Of course. This is always the case.”
We can thus conclude that if ‘Isa  is the son of God, he would have been
similar to and looked like Allah, whereas we know for a fact that there is absolutely
nothing that is similar to Him. Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur-aan: “There is nothing
similar to Him.” “There is no one equal to Him.”
Rasulullah : “Do you not know that our Allah is ‘forever living, He
will never die’? And that ‘Isa  is to die?”
The Christian Delegation: “Without doubt, this is correct.”
Rasulullah : “Are you aware of the fact that our Allah is the
maintainer of everything, the protector and overseer of the entire universe, and the
sustainer of all. Does ‘Isa  possess any of these qualities?”
The Christian Delegation: “No.”
Rasulullah : “Are you aware of the fact that nothing in the heavens
and the earth is concealed from Allah? Does ‘Isa  know anything more than
that which Allah taught him?”
The Christian Delegation: “No.”
Rasulullah : “You know fully well that Allah Ta’ala created ‘Isa
 in the womb of his mother as He willed. You also know for a fact that Allah
neither eats nor drinks, nor does He need to relieve Himself.”
The Christian Delegation: “Yes, without a doubt.”
Rasulullah : “You know very well that Maryam  fell pregnant
with ‘Isa  like normal women. She gave birth to him just like normal women
do. She then fed him just as normal babies are fed. He used to eat and drink, and
also relieve himself.”
The Christian Delegation: “Without doubt, this is how it was.”
Rasulullah : “Then how did he become a God?”
In other words, he who was created and formed in the womb of a woman,
who was in need of nourishment after birth, and who was in need of relieving
himself – how can such a person be God?
The truth became obvious on the Christian delegation of Najraan. However
they persisted in refusing to follow the truth. Allah Ta’ala revealed the following
verses:
ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۤ ٓ
‫ﲔ ﻳ ﺪﻳۡﻪ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻟ‬
‫ﺎ‬ ً ‫ ؕ﴾ ﻧﺰل ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻚ اﻟﻜ ٰﺘﺐ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ﻣﺼﺪﻗ‬۲﴿ ‫ اﻟ اﻟﻘﻴ ۡﻮم‬º ‫ ا ﻻ ﻫﻮ‬uٰ ‫ ۙ﴾ اﷲ ﻻ ا‬۱﴿ ٓ ‫اﻟﻢ‬

ْ ۡ ۡ
ۡ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻣ‬۳﴿ ‫ﺔ واﻻﻧﺠ ۡﻴﻞ‬B‫واﻧۡﺰل اﻟﺘ ْﻮ ٰر‬
ۡ
‫ﺎﻳﺖ اﷲ‬ ٰ ‫ﻛﻔﺮ ۡوا ٰﺑ‬ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ‬ ‫ ا ن‬ÉN ‫ﻠﻨﺎس واﻧﺰ ل اﻟ ﻔ ْﺮﻗﺎن‬ ‫ﻫ ًﺪي ﻟ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻦ ﻗ ْﺒ‬

ۡ ْ ۡ ٌ
‫¡ءٌ ﰲ اﻻ ْرض و ﻻ ﰲ‬ ۡ ‫﴾ ان اﷲ ﻻ ﻳﺨ ٰﻔﻲ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻪ‬۴﴿ ‫ﺎم‬ ٍ ‫ﺰ ذواﻧﺘ ﻘ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ واﷲ ﻋﺰﻳ‬M ‫اب ﺷﺪﻳۡﺪ‬ ٌ ‫ ﻋﺬ‬$ ْ
‫ﻟ‬
ْ ْ ۡ
﴾۶﴿ ‫ﻫﻮ اﻟﻌﺰﻳۡﺰ اﻟﺤﻜ ۡﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ u ٰ ‫ ﻻ ۤ ا‬M ‫ ْﻢ ﰲ اﻻ ْرﺣﺎم ﻛ ۡﻴﻒ ﺸﺂء‬X‫ي ﻳﺼﻮر‬ ۡ \‫ا‬ ‫ﻫﻮ‬ ﴾ؕ ۵﴿ ‫اﻟﺴ ﻤﺂء‬

“Alif Laam Meem. Allah! there is no God other than Him, the living, the sustainer of
all. He sent down to you the true Book. It confirms the previous books, and He sent
Chapter 26 543
down the Taurah and the Injeel prior to this Book, for the guidance of people. And
He sent down the criteria. Surely those who rejected the verses of Allah, for them is
a severe punishment. And Allah is mighty, taker of revenge. Nothing is concealed
from Allah in the earth nor in the heaven. It is He who fashions you in the womb of
the mother as He wills. There is no worship for anyone other than Him. He is
mighty, wise.” [Surah Aal ‘Imraan, verses 1-6]
Rasulullah  presented Islam to the Christians of Najraan. They replied:
“We were already on Islam.” He asked them: “How can your Islam be valid when
you believe that Allah has a son, you worship the cross, and you consume pork?”
They said: “You claim that ‘Isa  is a servant of Allah. Have you ever heard or
seen anyone being born like him?” The following verse was revealed:
‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ر‬ ۡ ‫﴾ اﻟْﺤﻖ ﻣ‬۵۹﴿ ‫ﻦ ﻓﻴﻜ ۡﻮن‬

‫ﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ﻛ‬u ٗ ‫ﻦ ﺗﺮاب ﺛﻢ ﻗﺎل‬ ۡ ‫ ﺧﻠﻘ ٗﻪ ﻣ‬M ‫ان ﻣﺜﻞ ﻋ' ۡ ٰﺴﻲ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ اﷲ ﻛﻤﺜﻞ ٰادم‬
ٍ
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ‫ﻓﻼ ﺗﻜ‬
‫ع اﺑْ ﻨﺂءﻧﺎ‬ ْ
‫ﻦ اﻟﻌﻠﻢ ﻓ ﻘﻞ ﺗ ﻌﺎﻟﻮا ﻧﺪ‬ ‫ﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ ﺟﺂءك ﻣ‬H ‫ﻚ ﻓ ۡﻴﻪ ﻣ‬ ‫ﺂﺟ‬
‫ﺣ‬ ‫﴾ ﻓﻤ ْﻦ‬۶۰﴿ ‫ﻦ ﻣﻦ اﻟ ﻤﻤ ﱰﻳۡﻦ‬

ْ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ
¤ ‫ﺠﻌﻞ ﻟﻌﻨﺖ اﷲ ﻋ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ¿ ﺛﻢ ﻧ ْﺒﺘﻬﻞ ﻓﻨ‬
‫ﻛ ْﻢ واﻧ ﻔﺴﻨﺎ واﻧ ﻔﺴ‬ ‫واﺑْﻨﺂءﻛ ْﻢ و `ﺴﺂءﻧﺎ و `ﺴﺂء‬

ۡ ٰ ْ
‫ﲔ‬
‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺬ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫اﻟ‬
“Surely the similitude of ‘Isa in the sight of Allah is like that of Aadam - He created
him from dust and then said to him: “Be!” and he became. The truth is that which
your Sustainer says, so you do not be of the doubters. Thereafter, whoever disputes
with you about this story (of ‘Isa) after the true facts have come to you, then you
should say: “Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your
women, and ourselves and yourselves; then let us all earnestly pray and invoke the
curse of Allah on those who are liars.” [Surah Aal ‘Imraan, verses 59-61]
Mubaahalah (invoking curses)

After the revelation of these verses, Rasulullah  got ready for the
Mubaahalah. The following day he appeared with Hasan , Husayn ,
Faatimah  and Ali . On seeing these illuminated and blessed faces, the
Christians were over-awed and asked Rasulullah  for a respite so that
they could confer with each other. They would return to Rasulullah 
thereafter. They therefore went aside and began conferring with each other.
Ayham said to the bishop, ‘Abdul Maseeh: “By Allah, you know very well that this
person is a Prophet sent by Allah. If you were to engage in Mubaahalah with him,
you will be totally destroyed. By Allah, I am seeing such blessed faces (referring to
the family of Rasulullah ) that if they were to ask the mountains to move,
they will move from their places. By Allah, you have clearly recognised his
prophet-hood. Whatever he said about ‘Isa  is the absolute truth. By Allah,
whoever engaged in a Mubaahalah with a Prophet never succeeded. Therefore, do
not destroy yourself by engaging in a Mubaahalah with him. If you really want to
remain on your religion, make peace with him and return.”
They eventually retracted from the Mubaahalah and agreed to pay the jizyah
on an annual basis. Rasulullah  said: “I take an oath in the name of that
being in whose control is my life, the punishment (of Allah) was already hovering
over the people of Najraan. Had they engaged in the Mubaahalah, they would have
been transformed into monkeys and swines. Their entire valley would have turned
into a fire and rained upon them. All the people of Najraan would have been
destroyed. No birds would have even remained on the trees.”
The following day, Rasulullah  ordered a peace treaty to be written.
The essence of this treaty was:
1. The people of Najraan will have to give 2000 garments annually. 1000 in the
month of Rajab and 1000 in the month of Safar. The value of each one will
have to be 40 dirhams.
2. The envoy that is sent by Rasulullah  to them will have to be
accommodated by them for one month.
3. If there are any hostilities or uprisings in Yemen, the people of Najraan will
have to lend 30 coats of armour, 30 horses, 30 camels. These will be returned to
them later on. If any of these items are lost or destroyed, the Muslims will pay
for them.
4. Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger  are responsible for the protection of
their lives and belongings. Their wealth, their possessions, their properties,
their rights, their religion, their covenants, their priests, their families and
those who follow them – nothing will be changed or altered. There will be no
demands for blood money for what had passed. No army will enter their land.
5. If anyone demands any right from them, justice will be meted out to both
parties.
6. The person who devours interest does not fall under this responsibility.
7. If a person commits an act of transgression and oppression, someone else will
not be taken to task. (Rather, the actual perpetrator will be taken to task).
This is the guarantee of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger  as long as they
remain steadfast on all these conditions. This peace treaty was signed by Abu
Sufyaan ibn Harb, Ghaylaan ibn ‘Amr, Maalik ibn ‘Auf, Aqra‘ ibn Haabis and
Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah.
Chapter 26 545
This delegation then took this peace treaty and made preparations to return.
When they were departing, they asked Rasulullah  to send a trustworthy
person with them so that he could take the goods that were agreed upon in the
treaty. Rasulullah  said to to them that he will send an extremely
trustworthy person with them. He then ordered Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Jarrah  to
go with them. He was given the title of Ameenu Haazihil ummah – the trustworthy
person of this ummah.
These people then departed for Najraan. When they were on the last stage of
their journey, the priests and noblemen of Najraan came out to welcome them. The
delegation handed the treaty to their chief priest and he became engrossed in
reading it. In the meantime, the donkey on which Abu Haarisah was sitting, slipped
and fell. His cousin, Kurz ibn ‘Alqamah, cursed and said: “May that wretched one
be destroyed.” He was actually cursing Rasulullah . Abu Haarisah said:
“You are the wretched one. By Allah, he is a Messenger of Allah. He is the same
person whose glad tidings are given in the Injeel and the Taurah.” Kurz asked:
“Then why do you not bring Imaan?” Abu Haarisah replied: “The kings will take
back all the wealth that they gave us.” Kurz said: “By Allah, I am turning around
and I will only free my camel in Madinah (i.e. I will not stop till I reach Madinah).”
He then headed towards Madinah with much enthusiasm. He was repeating these
lines while going towards Madinah:
‫مالفا دين الصارى دينها‬ ‫إلك تعدو قلقا وضينها معتك ف بطنها جنينا‬
“This camel is hastening towards you (O Muhammad!). It’s young (that is in its
belly) is bridged. It is moving about in it’s womb (because my camel is moving so
swiftly). It’s religion is now opposed to the religion of the Christians.”
He then presented himself before Rasulullah  and embraced Islam. He
remained in his company and was martyred in a battle. A few days later, Ayham
and ‘Abdul Maseeh also came to Madinah and embraced Islam. Rasulullah
 accommodated both of them in the house of Abu Ayyub Ansaari .
15. Farwah ibn ‘Amr Juzaami

Farwah ibn ‘Amr Juzaami was the governor of Syria on behalf of the Roman king.
When Rasulullah  sent him a letter inviting him towards Islam, he
embraced Islam. He sent an envoy with some gifts to Rasulullah . When
the Romans heard that he embraced Islam, they ordered that he be hanged. When
he was about to be hanged, he said the following lines:
‫بلغ ساة المسلمي بأنن سلم لرب أعظم ومقام‬

“Convey this message to the leader of the Muslims that my bones and my place of
stay have all submitted before my Sustainer.”
16. Dimam ibn Sa‘labah comes to Madinah

In 9 A.H. Dimam ibn Sa‘labah came to Rasulullah  on behalf of the Banu
Sa‘d. He tied his camel near the door of the Masjid, entered and called out: “Who is
Muhammad?” Rasulullah  was leaning against something in his assembly
at that time. The Sahaabah  said: “This blessed person who is leaning down.”
The person said: “O son of ‘Abdul Muttalib!” Rasulullah  said: “I have
heard your call.” He said: “I wish to ask you a few questions. I will be stern and
strict in my questions. You should therefore not become angry.” Rasulullah
: “You may ask whatever you like.” He said: “I take an oath in the name
of Allah and ask you, did He really send you as a Messenger to all people?”
Rasulullah  replied: “Yes. O Allah! You are witness to this.” The person
then asked the following questions separately: “Did Allah command you to offer
five times Salaah in a day? Did He order you to fast in one month of the year? Did
He order you to take zakaah and other charities from the rich and distribute them
among the poor?” Rasulullah  replied to all these questions: “Yes. O
Allah! You be witness to this.”
This person said: “I believe in everything that you have brought from Allah. I
am an envoy on behalf of my people. My name is Dimam ibn Sa‘labah. I take an
oath in the name of that Being who sent you with the truth that I will not add or
subtract what you just said to me.” Rasulullah  said: “If this person is true
to his word, he will certainly enter Jannah.”
Note: It is learnt from this Hadith that it is permitted for an Aalim or
respectable person to sit in an assembly while lying down and leaning against
something.
When Dimam left Rasulullah  and returned to his people, he
gathered all of them and delivered a speech to them. The first words that he uttered
were: “Laat and ‘Uzza are extremely evil.” When the people heard this they said to
him: “O Dimam! Do not utter such words. You might become mad and a leper.” He
replied: “How sad and sorrowful. By Allah, Laat and ‘Uzza can neither harm you
nor benefit you in any way. Allah Ta’ala sent a Messenger and revealed a Book to
him which freed you from these fabrications. I bear witness that there is none
worthy of worship besides Allah Ta’ala and that Muhammad  is the
Messenger of Allah. I have learnt these injunctions from him.” By the evening, all
the members of this tribe embraced Islam. ‘Umar  and Ibn ‘Abbaas 
used to say: “We have not come across an envoy and delegate of a tribe who was
better than Dimam ibn Sa‘labah .”
Chapter 26 547
17. The delegation of Taariq ibn ‘Abdillah Muhaaribi and the

Bani Muhaarib
Taariq ibn ‘Abdullah says: “I was in the market of Zul Majaaz when I saw a person
saying:
ّٰ
‫ تفلحوا‬4‫ ا‬O‫ ال ا‬O ‫ايها الاس قولوا‬
‘O people! Say that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and you will find
success.’
I saw another person behind him, throwing stones and saying:
‫ تصدقوه‬K‫يا ايها الاس انه كذاب ف‬

‘O people! He is a liar. Do not believe him.’
I asked: ‘Who is this person?’ Some people replied: ‘He is from the Banu Haashim
who claims that he is the Messenger of Allah, and the person who is throwing
stones at him is his uncle, Abu Lahab.’”
Taariq ibn ‘Abdullah says: “When the people began embracing Islam and
Rasulullah  emigrated to Madinah, we left Zubdah and went to Madinah
in order to buy dates from there. When we were near Madinah, we were planning
to stop over at an orchard. A person wearing two old shawls approached us,
greeted us and asked us where we were coming from. We replied that we were
coming from Zubdah. He asked us where we were going. We replied that we were
going to Madinah. He asked us for the reason and we said, ‘to purchase dates.’ We
had a red camel with us. He asked us if we would give him this camel in exchange
for a certain amount of dates. We agreed to this. He also agreed to the price and did
not attempt to bargain over the price. He took the camel and proceeded. We began
speaking among ourselves and said: ‘How could we have given our camel to a
person whom we do not even know and without even obtaining its value (of dates)
as yet?’ One of the women who was sitting in the haudaj said: ‘I have seen the face
of that person. By Allah, his face is like a piece of the 14th moon. It is not the face
of a liar and treacherous person. Do not worry, I guarantee the price.’ We were still
busy in this conversation when another person came and said: ‘I am the messenger
of Rasulullah . He has given these dates. You may eat from there and
weigh them.’ We ate to our fill and then weighed them. We found them to be
exact. The following day we entered Madinah. Rasulullah  was standing
on the mimbar and delivering a sermon (it was probably a Friday). We heard these
words from him:
‫تصدقوا فان الد العليا خي من الد السفل امك واباك اختك‬

‫واخاك وادناك ادناك‬
“Give in charity. Surely the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Be particular
about giving to your mother, your father, your sister, your brother and your near
relatives.”
18. The delegation of Tujib

The Tujib is a branch of the Kindah tribe of Yemen. Thirteen people from Tujib
came to Rasulullah  with the wealth of sadaqaat. Rasulullah 
asked them to take it back and to distribute it among the poor of that area. They
replied that they actually brought the remainder after distributing among the poor.
Abu Bakr  said: “O Messenger of Allah! Till now, no delegation like the Tujib
has come to you.” Rasulullah  said: “Without doubt, guidance is in the
hand of Allah. When Allah Ta’ala wills good for anyone, he opens his chest for
Imaan. These people asked several questions to Rasulullah . He had them
written for them and emphasised upon Bilal  to be very hospitable to them.
A few days later, they requested permission to leave. Rasulullah 
asked them the reason for their hurry. They replied: “O Messenger of Allah! Our
hearts desire that the blessings that we gained by seeing your illuminated
countenance and the benefits that we acquired from your company should also be
conveyed to our people.” Rasulullah  bid farewell to them after giving
them some gifts. When they were departing, he asked them if anyone of them was
left behind. They replied that one youngster, whom they had appointed to take care
of the goods, was left behind. Rasulullah  asked them to call him. He
came and said: “O Messenger of Allah! You have fulfilled the needs of my people.
Now I have one request.” Rasulullah  asked him: “What is it?” He replied:
“The only reason why I left home and came to you is that you may make dua on
my behalf to Allah Ta’ala that He forgives me, that He showers His mercy on me,
and that He makes me rich of heart.” Rasulullah  made this dua:
ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َّ ُ ّٰ َ
ِ‫ف قلبِه‬ ِ ‫اللهم اغفِر ل وارحه واجعل غِناه‬
“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, and make him rich in his heart.”
In 10 A.H. some people of this tribe came for Haj. When Rasulullah  met
them in Mina, he asked them about the youngster. They replied: “O Messenger of
Allah! The condition of his piety and contentment is amazing. We have not come
Chapter 26 549
across anyone more pious and content than him. Irrespective of how much wealth
is distributed before him, he does not even look at it. When some people of Yemen
began reneging from Islam, this youngster addressed them in such a manner that
everyone remained steadfast on Islam and no one turned away. When Abu Bakr
 became the caliph, he would periodically inquire from the people about this
youngster. When he heard of this incident (of how he addressed the people and
how they remained steadfast on Islam), he sent a message to Ziyaad ibn Waleed to
be particularly considerate towards this youngster.
19. The delegation of Huzaym

When this delegation reached Masjid-e-Nabawi, Rasulullah  was busy in
a Janaazah Salaah. These people sat down on one side. When Rasulullah 
was over, he called them and asked them: “Are you not Muslims?” They replied
that they were Muslims. He asked them: “Then why did you not join the Janaazah
Salaah of your fellow Muslim brother?” They replied: “We did not know whether it
was permissible for us to join in since we have not pledged our allegiance to you as
yet.” He replied: “You become Muslims wherever you may be (once you embrace
Islam, you are Muslims, there is no need to wait to pledge allegiance to me).”
Later, the people pledged allegiance to Rasulullah  and were
departing. They had left a youngster to take care of their possessions. He called
these people back. This youngster came forward and pledged allegiance to
Rasulullah . These people said: “O Messenger of Allah! He is the youngest
amongst us and he is our servant.” Rasulullah  said:
ّٰ
‫ عليك‬4‫اصغر القوم خادمهم بارك ا‬
“The youngest person is the servant of the people. May Allah shower you with His
blessings.”
By the blessing of this dua, this youngster became the most knowledgeable of the
Qur-aan from this tribe. Rasulullah  eventually appointed him as their
leader and Imaam. Rasulullah  instructed Bilal  to give these people
some gifts. When they returned to their homes, the entire tribe embraced Islam.
20. The delegation of Bani Fazaarah

On Rasulullah’s  return from Tabuk, about 14 people from the Bani
Fazaarah came to Rasulullah . He asked them about their land. They
replied that they were suffering from a severe drought which was causing much
destruction. He made dua for rain for them.
21. The delegation of Bani Asd – 9 A.H.

Ten people from this tribe came to Rasulullah . He was sitting in the
Masjid at that time. They greeted him and one of them said: “O Messenger of
Allah! We bear witness that Allah is one, He has no partner, and that you are His
Messenger. We have come to you without your calling us.” The following verse
was revealed:
ْ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻜ‬ ْ ‫ ا‬¤‫ﻞ ﻻ ﺗﻤﻨ ۡﻮا ﻋ‬ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ۡ ۡ

‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
B‫ﻜ ْﻢ ان ﻫ ٰﺪ‬
‫ﻦ ﻋﻠﻴ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻳ‬
‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ N ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻼ‬ ‫ﺳ‬
‫ ﻗ‬MN‫ﻚ ان اﺳﻠ ﻤﻮا‬
‫ﻳ ﻤ ﻨﻮ ن ﻋﻠﻴ‬

﴾۱۷﴿ ‫ﲔ‬
ۡ
‫ﻗ‬‫ﺪ‬ ٰ ‫ﻛ ۡﻨﺘ ْﻢ‬
‫ﺻ‬
ۡ
‫ن‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺎن‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟ ْﻼﻳ‬

“They consider it a favour to you that they have embraced Islam. Say: ‘Do not
consider your Islam a favour to me. Rather, Allah has done you a favour by guiding
you to the path of Imaan, if you are saying the truth.’” [Surah Hujuraat, verse 17]
These people then asked Rasulullah  about fortune telling. Rasulullah
 prohibited them from this.
22. The delegation of Bahraa’

Thirteen people from the Bahraa’ tribe of Yemen came to Rasulullah .
They stayed at the house of Miqdaad ibn Aswad . Before their arrival,
Miqdaad  prepared a special dish for them (prepared with dates and cheese).
When these guests arrived, he presented it to them. They all ate to their fill.
Miqdaad  sent the remainder to Rasulullah  with his slave-woman,
Sidrah. Rasulullah  ate thereof and also gave his entire family. He then
returned the bowl in which it had come. As long as the guests remained, they
continued eating twice a day from that bowl. One day, one of the guests asked in
surprise: “O Miqdaad! We heard that the people of Madinah eat very simple food,
yet you are providing us with such delicious food everyday which we cannot eat
daily at our homes?” Miqdaad  replied: “All this is through the blessed hand
of Rasulullah .” He then informed them of the Barakah in the bowl (i.e.
through the blessing of Rasulullah ). These people’s Imaan and
conviction increased even more. They remained in Madinah for a few days,
learning the injunctions and tenets of Islam. They then returned to their homes.
When they were departing, Rasulullah  gave them some gifts and
provisions for the journey.
Chapter 26 551
23. The delegation of ‘Udhrah

This is a tribe of Yemen. Twelve people from this tribe came to Rasulullah
 in Safar, 9 A.H. They asked him: “What do you invite towards?”
Rasulullah  replied: “That you worship Allah, who is one and has no
partner, and that you bear testimony that I am the Messenger of Allah to the entire
mankind.” The people then inquired about the compulsory acts of Islam and
Rasulullah  informed them thereof. They then said: “We bear testimony
that there is none worthy of worship beside Allah and that you are certainly
Allah’s Messenger. You invited us and we accepted. We are your helpers and
supporters with all our heart. O Messenger of Allah! We go to Syria for our
business. That is where Heraclius is. Has any revelation in this regard been sent to
you?” Rasulullah  replied: “Syria will be conquered soon and Heraclius
will flee.” Rasulullah  then prohibited them from going to fortune tellers
and from eating their sacrificial animals. They departed after a few days.
Rasulullah  gave them some gifts on their departure.
24. The delegation of Baliyy

In Rabi‘ul-Awwal 9 A.H. a delegation of Baliyy came to Rasulullah  and
embraced Islam. Rasulullah  said to them:
ّٰ
‫م فهو‬K‫س‬O‫م فك من مات < غي ا‬K‫س‬K‫ الي هداكم ل‬4 ‫المد‬
‫ف الار‬
“All praise is due to Allah who guided you towards Islam. Anyone who dies on a
religion other than Islam shall enter the hell fire.”
The head of the delegation, Abu ad-Dabib, said: “O Messenger of Allah! I like
entertaining guests. Is there any reward for me in this?” Rasulullah 
replied: “Yes. There is reward in this as well. When you show kindness to anyone,
whether he is rich or poor, it is recorded as a charity in your favour.” He asked: “O
Messenger of Allah! What is the limit of entertaining a guest?” Rasulullah
 replied: “Three days. Thereafter it is charity. It is not permitted for a
guest to cause discomfort to the host.” These people left after three days. Rasulullah
 gave them provisions for the journey when they were departing.
25. The delegation of Bani Murrah

After Tabuk, a delegation of 13 members from the Bani Murrah came to Rasulullah
 in 9 A.H. Haaris ibn ‘Auf was the leader of this delegation. They said to
Rasulullah : “O Messenger of Allah! We are from your people. We are
from the progeny of Lu’ayy ibn Ghaalib.” Rasulullah  smiled and
inquired about their land. They replied that there was much destruction because of
the severe drought. He immediately made dua for rain. When they returned to their
land, they learnt that it had rained the very day in which Rasulullah  had
made dua for rain. The entire land had become green and lush. When they were
leaving, Rasulullah  gave 10 ounces of silver to each of them and 12
ounces to their leader.
26. The delegation of Khaulaan

In Sha’baan 10 A.H. ten people from the Yemeni tribe of Khaulaan came to
Rasulullah  and said: “O Messenger of Allah! We believe in Allah and in
His Messenger. Allah and His Messenger have been very kind to us. We have
travelled a great distance because of our desire to meet you.” Rasulullah 
replied: “This journey of yours has not been in vain. You are rewarded for every
step that you took. The person who comes to visit me in Madinah will be under my
protection on the Day of Resurrection.” Rasulullah  then inquired of
them about their idol, ‘Amm Anas. They replied that through the guidance of
Rasulullah  and his teachings, they found a far better alternative, and
that no one besides a few old men and old women bother about it. They added that
on their return, Insha Allah, no traces of it will be left.
Rasulullah  taught them the compulsory injunctions of Islam and
advised them to fulfil their promises, fulfil their trusts, see to the needs of
neighbours, and to abstain from oppressing anyone. When they were departing, he
gave them 12 ounces of silver. The first thing they did when they returned was that
they destroyed that idol.
27. The delegation of Muhaarib

The people of this tribe were very stern and rough. When Rasulullah 
used to invite the Arab tribes in Makkah during the days of Haj, these people used
to treat him very harshly. Ten members of this tribe came to Rasulullah 
in 10 A.H. and embraced Islam. One of them said to Rasulullah : “O
Messenger of Allah! From my friends, there was not anyone who was more severe
than me to you and more antagonistic towards Islam than my self. My friends have
Chapter 26 553
now passed away. I am the only one left. All thanks are due to Allah Ta’ala that he
kept me alive till I brought Imaan in you and testified to your truthfulness.”
Rasulullah  replied: “The heart is in the control of Allah.” The person
said: “O Messenger of Allah! Make dua to Allah Ta’ala on my behalf and seek
forgiveness for me that Allah forgives whatever disrespect I had shown to you.”
Rasulullah  replied: “Embracing Islam wipes out disbelief and all actions
that were done when one was a disbeliever.” These people then returned to their
homes.
28. The delegation of Suda’

When Rasulullah  returned from Ji’irraanah in 8 A.H., he sent Muhaajir
ibn Abi Umayyah to San‘a’, Ziyaad ibn Labid to Hadramaut, and Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn
‘Ubaadah with 400 riders towards Qanaat. Rasulullah  also instructed
Qays to visit the Yemeni area of Suda’. When Ziyaad ibn Haaris Suda’i heard of
this, he came himself and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Call your army back. I
guarantee that my people will embrace Islam.” Rasulullah  summoned
Qays ibn Sa‘d back. Ziyaad ibn Haaris came to Rasulullah  with a
delegation of 15 people. They all embraced Islam and pledged allegiance at his
hands. Rasulullah  addressed Ziyaad saying: “O Ziyaad! Your people are
very obedient to you.” He replied: “O Messenger of Allah! It is the kindness of
Allah and His Messenger that Allah guided them to Islam.” After pledging their
allegiance, these people returned and Islam spread throughout the tribe. One
hundred people from this tribe took part in the Farewell Haj.
29. The delegation of Ghassaan

In Ramadhaan 10 A.H. three people from this tribe came to Rasulullah 
and embraced Islam. They said that they were not sure as to whether their people
would follow suit or not. When they were departing, Rasulullah  gave
them gifts and provisions for the journey. Since their people hadn’t embraced
Islam, they concealed their beliefs. Two of them passed away. The third person met
Abu ‘Ubaydah  in the battle of Yarmuk and informed him of his Islam. Abu
‘Ubaydah  showed much respect to him.
30. The delegation of Salaamaan

A delegation of seven people from this tribe came to Rasulullah  in
Shawwaal 10 A.H. and embraced Islam. They complained of a drought. Rasulullah
 raised his hands and made dua for them. He then gave them some gifts
and provisions and bid them farewell. On reaching their homes, they learnt that it
had rained there on the exact day and time when Rasulullah  had raised
his hands and made dua.
31. The delegation of Bani ‘Abas

Three members from this tribe came to Rasulullah  and said: “O
Messenger of Allah! We have heard that Islam without emigration is not accepted.
We have some wealth and cattle on which we survive. If Islam is not accepted
without emigration, can there be any blessing in our wealth and cattle? Should we
sell everything and emigrate to you?” Rasulullah  replied:
ّٰ ُ ّٰ
‫ من اعمالكم شيئا‬4‫ حيث كنتم فلن يَل َِتك ُم ا‬4‫اتقوا ا‬
“Fear Allah wherever you may be. Allah will not reduce the rewards of your deeds
in any way.”
32. The delegation of Ghaamid

This is a tribe from Yemen. Ten members of this tribe came to Madinah in 10 A.H.
and dismounted in Baqi‘. They left a youngster to see to their goods and proceeded
to Rasulullah . He asked them: “Who did you leave with your goods?”
They replied: “We left a youngster.” Rasulullah  said: “A bag has been
stolen.” A person said: “O Messenger of Allah! That bag belonged to me.”
Rasulullah  said: “Don’t worry, it has been found.” When these people
returned to their goods they learnt that the youngster had fallen asleep. When he
woke up, he realised that one bag was missing. He therefore went out in search for
it. He saw a person sitting at a distance. When he advanced towards him, this
person ran away. On reaching the spot where that man was sitting, he found that
the ground there had been dug up recently. On digging it, he found the bag there.
These people said: “Without doubt, he is the Messenger of Allah.” Ubayy ibn Ka‘b
 was instructed to teach them the Qur-aan. When they were leaving, some
injunctions of Islam were written and given to them. As was his habit, Rasulullah
 gave them some gifts.
33. The delegation of Azd

Seven members from this tribe came to Rasulullah . He was impressed by
their appearance and mannerisms. He inquired as to who they were. They replied:
“We are believers.” Rasulullah  smiled and said: “There is a proof for
every claim. What is the proof of your Imaan?” They said: “Fifteen characteristics:
Chapter 26 555
five of which your envoys asked us to believe in, five of which your envoys asked
us to practise on, and five of which we possess since pre-Islamic times.”
Rasulullah  asked: “What are those which my envoys asked you to
believe in?” They replied: “To believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His
Messengers, and life after death.” Rasulullah  asked: “What are those
which my envoys asked you to practise on?” They replied: “We should
continuously say that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, we should
establish Salaah, we should pay the zakaah, we should fast in the month of
Ramadhaan, we should perform the Haj if we are able to.”
Rasulullah  asked: “What are the five qualities which you have since
pre-Islamic times?” They replied:
‫ء والرضا بالقضاء والصدق ف‬K‫الشكر عند الرخاء والصب عند ال‬

ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫عداء فقال صل ا‬O‫مواطن اللقاء و ترك الشماتة با‬
‫حكماء علماء كدوا من فقههم ان يكونوا انبياء ثم قال وانا‬
K‫ازيدكم خسا فتتم لكم عشون خصلة ان كنتم كما تقولون ف‬
‫ تنافسوا ف شء انتم‬O‫ تسكنون و‬O‫ تبنوا ما‬O‫ تاكون و‬O‫تمعوا ما‬
ّٰ
‫ الي اله ترجعون و عليه تعرضون‬4‫عنه غدا نائلون واتقوا ا‬
‫وارغبوا فيما عليه تعرضون وارغبوا فيما عليه تقدمون وفيه تلون‬
“(1) To be grateful at times of prosperity. (2) To be patient at times of hardship. (3)
To be pleased with whatever has been destined. (4) To remain steadfast when
meeting the enemy. (5) To abstain from being happy when calamity afflicts the
enemy.” Rasulullah  said: “You are very wise and intelligent people. You
are very close to being Prophets based on your intelligence.” Rasulullah 
then said: “I will now add five other qualities thereby completing 20. If you are as
you claim, then (1) Do not horde that which you will not eat. (2) Do not build that in
which you will not live. (3) Do not compete in something that you are certain to
leave behind tomorrow. (4) Fear Allah to whom you are going to return and before
whom you will be presented. (5) Desire that in which you are going to live forever,
i.e. the hereafter.”
These people went back taking along this advice of Rasulullah . They
remembered it well and practised on it.
34. The delegation of Bani al-Muntafiq

This delegation came to Rasulullah  after the Fajr Salaah. Coincidentally,
Rasulullah  had gathered the Sahaabah  and gave them a lengthy
talk in which he explained the resurrection, paradise, hell, etc. to them. When he
completed his talk, these people went up to him, pledged allegiance to him and
returned.
35. The delegation of Nakha‘

This was a tribe from Yemen. Two hundred people from this tribe came to
Rasulullah  in the middle of the month of Muharram, 11 A.H. A person
by the name of Zuraarah ibn ‘Amr was also part of this delegation. During this
journey, he saw several dreams which he related to Rasulullah  who
interpreted it for him. Among these dreams, he saw one in which a fire was
emanating from the ground which came as a barrier between himself and his son.
The fire was calling out:
‫لظي لظي بصي واعم اطعمون اككم اهلكم ومالكم‬

“I am the fire, I am the fire. Give me a person who can see and a blind person to eat.
I will eat you, your family and your wealth.”
Rasulullah  said: “There will be a tribulation wherein people will kill
their leader. The evil ones will consider themselves to be very pious. Killing
believers will be more enjoyable than drinking water. If your son passes away first,
you will witness this tribulation. If you pass away first, your son will witness it.”
Zuraarah said: “O Messenger of Allah! Make dua on my behalf that I do not have to
witness this tribulation.” Rasulullah  made dua in his favour. Zuraarah
passed away after some time and this was followed by the tribulation of the
martyrdom of ‘Usmaan . Zuraarah’s son had joined the ranks of the rebels.
Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Islam is taught in Yemen

In 9 A.H. or 10 A.H. Rasulullah  sent Abu Musa Ash’ari  and
Mu’aaz ibn Jabal  to the people of Yemen in order to teach them Islam.
However, both were not sent to the same place. Abu Musa  was sent to the
eastern section of Yemen while Mu’aaz ibn Jabal  was sent to the west, i.e. to
Aden and the areas surrounding Jund.
Chapter 26 557
Khaalid ibn Waleed’s  expedition to Najraan
In Rabi‘us-Saani or Jumaadal Ula 10 A.H., Rasulullah  sent Khaalid ibn

Waleed  at the head of an expedition to Najraan and the surrounding areas.
Rasulullah  ordered him to invite the people towards Islam for three days
before fighting them. If they embrace Islam within these three days, he must accept
their Islam. If they refuse to embrace Islam, he may fight against them. When
Khaalid  reached Najraan and invited them towards Islam, they all
responded positively. Khaalid  began teaching them the basics of Islam. He
sent a letter to Rasulullah  informing him of this news. Rasulullah
 sent a reply that Khaalid  should return to Madinah with a
delegation from the Banu Haaris ibn Ka‘b tribe. Khaalid  complied with these
instructions of Rasulullah  and brought these people to Madinah.
Rasulullah  hosted them with much honour. When they were departing
in Zul Qa‘dah 10 A.H., he appointed Qays ibn Husayn  as their leader.
Rasulullah  also appointed ‘Amr ibn Hazm  to teach them the
injunctions and rules of Islam, to collect the taxes, etc. Rasulullah  also
gave him the following letter:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
This is an order from Allah and His Messenger. O you who are believers! Fulfil your
covenants. This is a covenant from Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of
Allah for ‘Amr ibn Hazm when he sent him to Yemen. He commands him to fear
Allah in all his affairs. Surely Allah is with those who fear and those who do good.
He commands him to hold on to the truth as Allah commanded him. That he
commands the people with good and gives them the glad tidings thereof.
That he teaches the people the Qur-aan and gives them an understanding of it. That
he prohibits the people from touching the Qur-aan without being in a state of
purity. That he informs the people of their rights and their responsibilities. That he
be lenient to them in matters of the truth and strict on them in matters of
oppression. Surely Allah dislikes oppression and prohibited it. Allah says: “Listen!
Allah’s curse is on the oppressors.” That he should give the people the glad tidings
of Jannah and teach them the deeds that will convey them to Jannah. That he
warns the people of the Jahannam and caution them against deeds that will convey
them to the hell-fire. That he should attract the people towards him so that they
may learn about Islam.
That he teaches the people about Haj, the Sunnah and obligatory acts thereof and
all that Allah ordered concerning it. That he should teach them about the Umrah as
well. That he should prohibit the people from offering Salaah in a small garment
unless it is a garment whose two ends are thrown over the shoulders. That he
prohibits people from wearing clothes in such a way that their private parts are
exposed to the sky. That he prohibits the people from plaiting their hair by their
neck. That when there is any dispute among people, they should not shout out the
slogans of families, tribes, etc. Rather, they should call to one Allah and to His
commands. If anyone does not call to one Allah, and instead, calls out the slogans of
families and tribes, then he should be put to the sword.
That he commands the people to perform a complete Wudhu: washing their faces,
their hands upto the elbows, and their feet upto the ankles and that they wipe their
heads. This is the procedure as commanded by Allah (in the Qur-aan). That he
orders that Salaah be performed at its correct time, and that they complete the
bowing posture and prostrations properly with humility. That they offer the Fajr
Salaah when it is dark, the Zuhr Salaah after mid-day, the Asr Salaah when the sun
spreads its light on the earth towards sunset, the Maghrib Salaah the moment the
night commences (immediately after sunset) – it should not be delayed to the extent
that stars begin appearing in the sky, and the ‘Isha Salaah in the first third of the
night. That when the call to the Jumu‘ah Salaah is made, they should hasten to it.
That they should take a bath before going for the Jumu‘ah Salaah.
That he takes out from the booty one fifth which is the right of Allah Ta’ala. That
he collects the sadaqah from the produce of the lands belonging to Muslims. One
tenth of the produce should be given as charity from lands that have been irrigated
with rain water and springs. One twentieth of the produce should be given as
charity from lands that have been irrigated with water from wells.
For ten camels, the charity that is due is two sheep. For 20 camels it is four sheep.
For 30 cows it is one cow. For 40 sheep it is one sheep. This is the duty which Allah
Ta’ala made incumbent on the believers with regard to zakaah. Whoever gives
more, it will be better for him.
Whoever embraces Islam after being a Jew or a Christian and he is sincere in his
Islam, then he shall enjoy the same rights and bear the same responsibilities as
other believers. He who remains on his Judaism or Christianity and wishes to live
under the Islamic state will have to pay the jizyah which is one dinar or its value in
clothing. This is applicable to every mature person irrespective of whether the
person is male or female, free person or slave. Whoever pays this shall enjoy the
responsibility of Allah and His Messenger  (i.e. his life, wealth and
honour will be protected). Whoever refuses to pay this jizyah is the enemy of Allah,
His Messenger  and of all believers.
Allah’s peace, salutations, mercy and blessings on Muhammad.
Chapter 26 559
Ali’s  expedition towards Yemen
In the month of Ramadhaan 10 A.H., Rasulullah  appointed Ali  at

the head of 300 men and sent him towards Yemen. Rasulullah  personally
tied a turban onto his head. This turban had three folds. One end of it which was
an arm’s length was made to hang in the front while the other end which was a
span’s length was made to hang at the back. Rasulullah  said to him:
“You must move straight ahead, do not be diverted in any direction. On reaching
there, do not attack. You should first invite them towards Islam. If they accept, do
not do anything to them. By Allah, if a single person embraces Islam at your hands,
it will be better for you than this world and whatever it contains.” Ali 
departed with 300 men and on reaching Qanaat, he stopped over there. From this
place, he sent small detachments of the Sahaabah  in different directions.
The Muslim army first reached the area of Mudhjij and acquired many children,
women, camels and goats. All this booty was gathered at one spot. They then had
to face another group (of disbelievers). Ali  invited them to Islam. They
refused and instead, began flinging arrows and rocks onto the Muslims. It was only
then that Ali  attacked them. Twenty of their people were killed and the
remainder dispersed. After a short pause, Ali  gave chase to them. He invited
them to Islam a second time. They accepted Islam for themselves and on behalf of
their tribe as well. They made a promise that they will pay the zakaah which is the
right of Allah Ta’ala.
Ali  gathered all the booty, took out one fifth and distributed the balance
among the Mujaahideen. He appointed a person as his deputy in order to lead the
army and hastened towards Makkah before his companions. Ali  had
received the information that Rasulullah  had left Madinah in order to
perform the Haj. He therefore left Yemen and went straight to Makkah. He joined
Rasulullah  for the Farewell Haj.
Chapter 27
Hajjatul Wadaa – The Farewell Haj
The help and assistance of Allah Ta’ala came and Makkah was conquered. People
embraced Islam in droves. The power of disbelief and polytheism was broken.
Delegations and tribes from far and wide came to Rasulullah , repented
from their disbelief and polytheism and testified to the oneness of Allah Ta’ala and
the prophet-hood of Rasulullah  with sincerity. The responsibilities of
prophet-hood were fulfilled and the injunctions of Islam were taught both verbally
and physically. Rasulullah  sent Abu Bakr  to Makkah in 9 A.H. in
order to completely wipe out all traces of jaahiliyyah.
The time now came for Rasulullah  to personally perform the Haj so
that the people may know forever how the Haj is to be performed, according to the
method of Ibraaheem  and Ismaa’eel . The rites of Haj, from
beginning to end, entailed the oneness of Allah Ta’ala. They were completely pure
of words denoting polytheism and customs of the days of ignorance (Jaahiliyyah).
Rasulullah  used to pay particular attention to the talbiyah so that no
traces of polytheism whatsoever would remain. The talbiyah that he used to say
was:
َ َ َ ّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َّ ُ ّٰ َ َ ۡ َّ َ
‫ل ِ ۡع َمة لك‬ ‫شيك لك ليك إِن المد وا‬ ِ O ‫ليك اللهم ليك ليك‬
َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُۡ َ
‫ش ۡيك لك‬
ِ O ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫والم‬
“Here I am, O Allah! Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. All praise, bounty
and kingdom belongs to You. You have no partner.”
The order that Haj is compulsory was revealed in 9 A.H. In that year, Rasulullah
 appointed Abu Bakr  as the Ameer of the Haj and sent him to
Makkah. The Muslims performed the Haj in that year under his leadership. In Zul
560
Chapter 27 561
Qa‘dah 10 A.H. Rasulullah  made the intention of personally performing

the Haj. An announcement was made in the surrounding areas that Rasulullah
 is to perform the Haj that year. Rasulullah  left Madinah on 25
Zul Qa‘dah 10 A.H. on a Saturday, between the Zuhr and Asr Salaah. The
Muhaajireen, the Ansaar and numerous other loyal Muslims joined him. It was an
assembly of 90 000 to 114 000 or even more. Rasulullah  entered Makkah
on 4 Zul Hijjah on a Sunday.
Nine of Rasulullah’s  wives, plus his daughter, Faatimah ,
accompanied him. Various other close associates and servants were with him. Ali
, whom Rasulullah  had sent in the month of Ramadhaan to
Yemen, met him in Makkah. Rasulullah  fulfilled the different rites of Haj
and delivered a lengthy sermon on the fields of ‘Arafaat. He first praised and
glorified Allah Ta’ala. He then said:
The Farewell Sermon

“O people! Listen attentively to what I have to say. It is possible that I will not meet
you next year. O people! Your lives, your honour and your wealth are all sacred to
each other just as this day, this month, and this city are all sacred. All the matters
related to jaahiliyyah are all crushed beneath my feet. All the jahili claims of blood
are forgiven. I first of all forgive the Banu Huzayl for the blood of Rabi’ah ibn
Haaris ibn ‘Abdil Muttalib. All the interest and usury of jaahili times is written off.
You may only keep the capital wealth. I first of all write off the usury of ‘Abbaas
ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib.”
Rasulullah  then explained the mutual rights of husband and wife.
“I am leaving behind such a firm thing, that if you hold on to it, you will never
go astray: The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Rasulullah. On the day of
resurrection you will be asked about me. What reply will you give?” The Sahaabah
 replied: “We will testify that you conveyed Allah’s message to us, that you
fulfilled the trust of Allah and that you desired the well-being of the ummah.”
Rasulullah  pointed his index finger to the sky and said three times:
‫اللهم اشهد‬
“O Allah, You be witness to this.”
When Rasulullah  completed his sermon, Bilal  called out the
Azaan for the Zuhr Salaah. The Zuhr and Asr Salaah were both offered at one time.
Rasulullah  then remained engaged in the praise, thanks, seeking
forgiveness and remembrance of Allah Ta’ala. While he was busy in this, the
following verse was revealed:
ۡ
MN‫ﻜﻢ اﻻ ْﺳ ﻼم دﻳ ۡ ًﻨﺎ‬ ۡ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﻧ ْﻌﻤ‬
ۡ ‫« ورﺿ‬ ْ
ۡ ‫ﻛﻤ ْﻠﺖ ﻟﻜ ْﻢ دﻳ ۡﻨﻜ ْﻢ واﺗْﻤ ْﻤﺖ ﻋﻠ‬ ْ ‫اﻟْﻴ‬
‫ﺖ ﻟ‬ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬‫ﻮ‬

“Today have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you, and
I chose Islam as a religion for you.” [Surah Maa’idah, verse 3]
On reaching Mina on the 10th of Zul Hijjah, Rasulullah  slaughtered 63
camels, equivalent to his age, with his own hands. Ali  slaughtered a further
37 camels on his behalf. Rasulullah  delivered a similar sermon to the one
which he delivered in ‘Arafaat. He eventually made the farewell Tawaaf. When he
shaved his head in Mina, he distributed his blessed hair among the Sahaabah
 so that they may keep it as a source of blessing.
Because he did not get the opportunity of performing the Haj the following
year, and he had alluded to this fact in his sermons in ‘Arafaat and Mina, this Haj
is known as the Farewell Haj in the sense that he bade farewell to his ummah. This
Haj is also referred to as Hajatul Islam because it was the first Haj in Islam after it
was made a compulsory duty.
The sermon at Ghadir Khum

When Rasulullah  was returning from the Haj, Buraydah Aslami 
made certain complaints against Ali . Rasulullah  delivered a
sermon in Ghadir Khum, a place between Makkah and Madinah. The gist of the
sermon was:
“I am a mortal. It is possible that a messenger from my Sustainer will call me
soon and that I will accept his call.” (This was a reference to the fact that his time
to depart from this world had drawn near). He then emphasised the importance of
having love for his family and said with regard to Ali : “The person who is
my friend, Ali is also his friend.” After hearing this sermon, ‘Umar 
congratulated Ali  and Buraydah  also no longer harboured any ill-
feeling towards Ali .
Return to Madinah
After the Farewell Haj, Rasulullah  returned to Madinah and reached
there towards the end of Zul Hijjah. Within a few days, the 10th year after
emigration came to an end and the 11th year commenced.
Chapter 27 563
Jibraa’eel  comes to Rasulullah 
Some days after Rasulullah’s  return from the Farewell Haj, Jibraa’eel
 came in the form of a stranger dressed in pure white clothes. He sat right in
front of Rasulullah  with great respect. He asked Rasulullah 
questions with regard to Imaan, Islam, Ihsaan, the resurrection, the signs of
resurrection, etc. Rasulullah  answered all these questions. When he left,
Rasulullah  asked the Sahaabah  to go and see who this person
was. When they went out, they did not see anyone. Rasulullah  said that
he was Jibraa’eel  who had come to teach them about Islam. He added that
prior to today he had always recognized him.
The military expedition of Usaamah ibn Zaid 
On 26 Safar 11 A.H. Rasulullah  ordered the Sahaabah  to prepare

for war against the Romans at Ubna. This was the place where the battle of Mu’tah
had taken place, and in which Usaamah’s  father, Zaid ibn Haarisah ,
Ja‘far Tayyaar , ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaahah  and others were martyred.
This was the last military expedition and the last army prepared by Rasulullah
. He appointed Usaamah ibn Zaid  as the commander-in-chief of
this army and ordered many other senior Sahaabah  from among the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar to join. Rasulullah’s  illness started on a
Wednesday. The following day, despite being ill, he personally gave a map to
‘Usaamah  and said to him:
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ فقاتل من كفر با‬4‫ وف سبيل ا‬4‫اغز باسم ا‬
“Wage Jihaad in the name of Allah and in the cause of Allah, and fight those who
reject Allah.”
Usaamah  gave the map to Buraydah Aslami , gathered the army at
Juruf, and all the senior Sahaabah  from among the Muhaajireen and Ansaar
rushed and gathered there. ‘Abbaas  and Ali  returned to Madinah in
order to tend to Rasulullah . Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar  used to
take permission from Usaamah  in order to visit Rasulullah . On
Thursday his illness intensified. He was unable to go to the Masjid for the Isha
Salaah. He therefore ordered Abu Bakr  to lead the Salaah in his place. The
army was still gathered at Juruf. This place was about 2 miles from Madinah. When
Rasulullah’s  health improved on Sunday and the Sahaabah  felt
that he would recover, Usaamah  made a decision to proceed. He was busy
making preparations when his mother Umme Ayman  sent a message that
Rasulullah’s  health had deteriorated badly. Within a short while they
heard the news that he passed away. To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.
Panic spread throughout Madinah and all the Sahaabah  returned
dejectedly. Buraydah  brought the map and placed it on the door to
Rasulullah’s  room. When Abu Bakr  became the caliph, the first
thing that he did was that he despatched the army of Usaamah  despite
protests from the other Sahaabah . He accompanied the army till Juruf. The
army then continued on its journey and returned victorious after 40 days. Usaamah
 fought valiantly against anyone who came before him. He also killed the
person who had killed his father, Zaid ibn Haarisah . Before returning, the
houses and orchards of these people were burnt down. When they returned, Abu
Bakr  went out of Madinah in order to welcome them. When Usaamah
 entered Madinah, he went into the Masjid, offered two Rakaats of Salaah as
thanks and then proceeded to his house.
Chapter 28
Preparation for the journey to the hereafter
After his return from the Farewell Haj, Rasulullah  began preparations
for his journey to the hereafter. He remained fully engaged in the glorification and
praise of Allah Ta’ala, repenting to Him and seeking His forgiveness. The first
indication of the approach of his death was the revelation of the following Surah:
‫ﻚ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﺪ‬‫ﻤ‬

ْ
‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺢ‬
ْ
ً ‫اﻟﻨﺎس ﻳﺪﺧﻠ ۡﻮن ﰲۡ دﻳۡﻦ اﷲ اﻓﻮ‬
ْ ‫ ۙ﴾ ﻓﺴﺒ‬۲﴿ ‫اﺟﺎ‬ ْ
‫ﺖ‬ ۡ ‫ ۙ﴾ و راﻳ‬۱﴿ ‫ﺼﺮ اﷲ و اﻟْﻔ ْﺘﺢ‬ْ ‫اذا ﺟﺂء ﻧ‬

ٗ ْ ْ ‫و‬
﴾٪ ۳﴿ ‫ﻛﺎن ﺗ ﻮاﺑًﺎ‬ ‫ اﻧﻪ‬ÒN N ‫اﺳﺘﻐﻔ ْﺮه‬

“When the help of Allah and victory come, and you see people entering the religion
of Allah in large numbers, then glorify the praises of your Sustainer and seek His
forgiveness, surely He is forgiving.”
In other words, when the help and victory which Allah had promised have come,
when the head of disbelief and polytheism has been smashed, when the flag of
Tauheed has been raised, when the truth has vanquished falsehood, when people
have entered the true religion in droves, when the world has received the message
of Allah, and when the religion of Allah has been completed and perfected – then
the purpose behind sending you to this world has been accomplished, and the
responsibility that was given to you has been fulfilled. You should now prepare to
return to Us. The task for which Allah sent you to this world has been completed.
You should now prepare to return to that Being who sent you into this world. This
fleeting world is not for you to remain in. It is more appropriate for a sanctified
soul like you to remain in the company of Mala-ul-a‘laa (the highest assembly) and
Ar-rafeequl-a‘laa (the highest companion).
Rasulullah  would therefore recite the following wherever he was –
sitting, walking, going, returning, etc.
565
َ‫ك َأنۡت‬
َ َّ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ۡ ۡ َّ ُ ّٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ َّ ُ ّٰ َ َ َ ۡ ُ
‫سبحانك اللهم ربنا وبِحمدِك اللهم اغفِر ِ¯ وتب < إِن‬
‫الرح ِۡي ُم‬ ُ ‫ال َّو‬
َّ ‫اب‬ َّ
“Glory to You O our Sustainer! And praise to You. O Allah! Forgive me and accept
my repentance. Surely You are the one who accepts repentance, the merciful.”
At times he would recite:
َ َ ّٰ
ِۡ‫ َوأتُ ۡو ُب إِ َله‬4‫ا‬ ۡ َ
‫ح ۡم ِده ِ ا ۡس َتغف ُِر‬
ّٰ َ َ ۡ ُ
َ ‫ِ َوب‬4‫ا‬ ‫سبحان‬
ِ
“Glory to Allah and praise to Him. I seek forgiveness from Allah and I turn to Him
in repentance.”
At times he would recite:
َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ ّٰ َ َ َ ۡ ُ
‫لك‬ ِ‫سبحانك اللهم وبِحمدِك استغفِرك وأتوب إ‬
“Glory to You O Allah, and praise to You. I seek Your forgiveness and I turn to You
in repentance.”
On one occasion, Rasulullah  said to Faatimah : “Jibraa’eel 
used to come to me every Ramadhaan and make one recitation of the Qur-aan with
me. This year he came and made two recitations. I think that my time of departure
has drawn near.” Rasulullah  used to remain secluded in the Masjid in
the month of Ramadhaan for 10 days every year. This year, he remained secluded
for 20 days. When the verse: “Today have I perfected your religion for you…” was
revealed to Rasulullah  on the occasion of the Farewell Haj, he
understood the importance of it. In his sermon of the Farewell Haj, he therefore
said to the people: “It is possible that I will not meet you next year and I may not be
able to perform the Haj with you again.” In his sermon at Ghadir Khum, he said: “I
am a human, and no human has ever lived forever. It is possible that the envoy of
my Sustainer will soon come to take me.” On his return from the Farewell Haj, he
went to Jannatul Baqi‘ (the graveyard of Madinah) and, after a period of eight
years, offered the Janaazah Salaah for those who were martyred at Uhud and made
dua for their well-being. This is what a person normally does when he is bidding
farewell. He then went into the Masjid, climbed the mimbar and delivered a
sermon. He addressed the people saying: “I am going before you so that I may
make the necessary arrangements for you at the Haud-e-Kauthar, etc. Our meeting
place will be at Haud-e-Kauthar. I can see it this very moment from where I am
standing now. I have been given the keys to the treasures of this world. I do not
have this fear that you will collectively fall into polytheism.” In other words, I do
not have this fear that the entire ummah will fall into polytheism as was the case
with previous nations. “However, I fear that you will fall greedily towards this
Chapter 28 567
world, compete with each other to acquire it, fight with each other for it, and
thereby be destroyed.”
Rasulullah  falls ill

In one of the last 10 nights of Safar, Rasulullah  woke up, got his slave
Abu Muhaybah up and said to him: “I have been ordered to seek forgiveness for the
people of Jannatul Baqi‘.” When Rasulullah  returned from there, he
suddenly felt ill and complained of a headache and flu.
It was a Wednesday and it was the turn of the mother of the believers,
Maymunah . In this sick condition, he continued going to his other wives
according to the days that were allotted to them. When his condition worsened, he
sought permission from them to spend his time with Aa’ishah . He went to
her room on a Monday. He passed away in her room the following week on a
Monday. Rasulullah  remained ill for 13-14 days. The last week of his life
was spent under the care of Aa’ishah .
It is stated in a Hadith that when Jibraa’eel  came to Rasulullah
 with Surah Nasr, he said to him: “O Jibraa’eel! This Surah gives me the
news of my demise.” Jibraa’eel  said: “The after life is better for you than this
world.”
During his illness, Rasulullah  received the information that the
following people had become apostates and were claiming prophet-hood: Aswad
‘Ansi, Musaylamah and Tulayhah Asdi. He emphasised on the Sahaabah 
the importance of waging Jihaad against them and sent a group of Ansaar to quell
the rebellion of Aswad ‘Ansi. The latter was killed about a day before Rasulullah’s
 demise.
Aa’ishah  says: “During this illness, Rasulullah  used to say
that this illness was the effect of the poison that he had consumed at Khaybar.”
Another Hadith states that it was his noble habit that whenever he fell ill, he would
recite the following Surahs: Surah Ikhlaas, Surah Falaq, Surah Naas, and then blow
onto himself and pass his hands across his entire body. Aa’ishah  says:
“During his final illness, I used to recite these Surahs and blow onto him. However,
I would pass my hands over his body as a source of blessing for me.”
Faatimah  cries and smiles
During this illness, Rasulullah  called for Faatimah  and whispered

something into her ears. She began crying. Rasulullah  again said
something in her ears and she began smiling. Aa’ishah  says: “After
Rasulullah  passed away, we asked her about this.” She said: “Rasulullah
 said to me that Jibraa’eel  used to recite the entire Qur-aan once
every Ramadhaan, but this year he read it twice to him. He feels that he is going to
pass away this year. I therefore began crying. He then said to me that from his
family, I will be the first to join him. On hearing this, I smiled.”
Faatimah  passed away six months after the demise of Rasulullah
.
Another Hadith states that Rasulullah  said to her: “You will be the
leader of all the women in Jannah.”
Aa’ishah  says: “When Rasulullah  returned from Jannatul
Baqi‘, I had a headache. Because of the pain I was experiencing, I cried out: ‘O my
head!’ When Rasulullah  heard this, he also cried out: ‘O my head! It is
possible that I will pass away in this way.’” Aa’ishah  says: “He then said to
me: ‘O Aa’ishah! If you pass away before me, of what loss will it be to me? I will
make arrangements for your shroud and burial, I will offer the Janaazah Salaah for
you, and seek forgiveness for you.’” Aa’ishah  replied: “It is as though you
want me to die. If I were to depart from this world, you will bring another wife into
this very house of mine on that very day.” What she meant was that he will forget
her and become engrossed with his other wives. On hearing this, Rasulullah
 smiled thinking to himself that she is unaware that he is the one who is
departing from this world and that she will remain alive after his demise.
The incident of Qirtaas

About four days before his demise, when Rasulullah’s  illness intensified,
he asked those who were present in the room to bring him paper, pen and ink so
that he may dictate some words of advice after which the Muslims cannot go
astray. On hearing this, those who were present disagreed. ‘Umar  said to
him: “You are ill, you are experiencing much pain. It is not appropriate for us to
cause you trouble in such a condition. The Book of Allah is with us (which is
sufficient to save us from going astray).” Some Sahaabah  agreed with
‘Umar  while others said that the writing material should be brought and
they said: “Has Rasulullah  ever said anything foolish or unintelligible
during his illnesses and state of unconsciousness? Ask him; he is the Messenger and
Prophet of Allah Ta’ala. His heart and tongue are protected from error. He is not
like others who begin speaking nonsense when they fall ill.” A Hadith states that on
one occasion Rasulullah  pointed to his tongue and said: “I take an oath
by that being in whose control is my life that nothing but the truth emanates from
this tongue.”
Chapter 28 569
When those who were present began arguing and differing among themselves,
Rasulullah  asked them to leave and said to them: “Leave me as I am. I
am in a better condition than what you are calling me towards.” Thereafter, despite
the pain that he was suffering, he issued three words of advice to them:
1. The disbelievers should be expelled from the Arabian Peninsula. No disbeliever
should be permitted to live there.
2. Whenever delegations come to meet them, they should present gifts when
bidding farewell to them, as had been his noble practice.
3. Rasulullah  either did not mention the third advice, or the narrator
forgot it.
Some are of the opinion that the third advice was any of the following: They
should practise on the Qur-aan; they must send the army of Usaamah ; they
must not turn his grave into a place of worship and prostration; they must be
particular about their Salaah; they must see to the slaves.
It is not known whether the words of advice which he gave orally were the
same as those which he wanted to have written down or whether he had
something else in his mind. Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Aa’ishah  says that during this illness, Rasulullah  said: “I
wish to talk to Abu Bakr and his son, Abdur Rahmaan. Send someone to call them
so that I may give them some words of advice, make him (Abu Bakr ) my
successor so that no one may be able to say anything (against him) and no one may
desire (this leadership once he has been appointed). I have now changed my mind
and decided not to give him these words of advice. I know for a fact that Allah
Ta’ala will not permit anyone else to become the caliph after me. Even the believers
will not accept the caliphate of anyone besides Abu Bakr.” Another Hadith has the
following words:
ّٰ
‫ ان يتلف الاس < أب بكر‬4‫معاذ ا‬
“Allah forbid that the people differ with regard to (the caliphate of) Abu Bakr.”
It becomes quite clear from these Ahaadith that it was Rasulullah’s 
heartfelt desire that Abu Bakr  should be the caliph after him. However, he
left it in the hands of fate, destiny and the unanimous decision of the ummah to
implement it. Fate and destiny would decide that Abu Bakr  would be the
caliph and his caliphate will be established by the unanimous decision of the senior
Companions of Rasulullah . All the Muslims will accept his caliphate.
The words of Imaam Bukhaari  also indicate that these words show that
Rasulullah  wanted to write down the caliphate of Abu Bakr .
When this incident (of Rasulullah  asking for writing material) took
place and the people began differing and arguing with each other, Rasulullah
 asked them to leave because it was not appropriate to argue in his
presence. The people then left.
When the people left, Rasulullah  rested till the time of Zuhr Salaah.
When he felt a bit better and the intensity of his illness decreased, he asked for
seven containers of water to be poured on his head and said: “Perhaps I will
experience more comfort and I may give some advice to the people.” Accordingly,
this water was poured on him and he felt much more comfortable. He then took
support from Abbaas  and Ali  on either side of him and went to the
Masjid. He performed the Zuhr Salaah and then delivered a sermon. This was his
final sermon.
Rasulullah’s  final sermon

After completing the Salaah, Rasulullah  went onto the mimbar, and
after praising and glorifying Allah Ta’ala, he spoke about the martyrs of Uhud. He
asked for forgiveness for them. He then addressed the Muhaajireen saying: “You
will be in the majority while the Ansaar will be in the minority. Look, the Ansaar
gave me refuge. You must be kind to those who are good and righteous among
them and you must overlook those who err among them.”
He then said: “O people! Allah has given to a servant of His to choose between
enjoying the bounties of this world or those of the hereafter that are with Allah.
That servant has chosen to enjoy the bounties that are with Allah in the hereafter.”
Abu Bakr  who was the most knowledgeable among the Sahaabah 
immediately understood that the servant referred to was none other than
Rasulullah . He therefore began crying and said: “O Messenger of Allah!
May my parents be sacrificed for you.” Rasulullah  said: “Wait and
remain firm.” He then turned towards the Masjid and asked the people to shut all
the doors of the Masjid and that only one door, that of Abu Bakr , be left
open. He then said: “As regards his life, wealth, companionship and friendship,
Abu Bakr  is the one who is kindest to me. There isn’t anyone who was
kinder to me than him. I repaid all those who did favours to me, except for Abu
Bakr. The reward for his favours will be given by Allah Ta’ala personally on the
day of resurrection. Were I to make someone apart from Allah Ta’ala my bosom
friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr. However, he enjoys Islamic brotherhood
and friendship. He surpasses everyone in this regard. There is no one equal to him
in this brotherhood and friendship.”
In short, Rasulullah  enumerated those merits of Abu Bakr 
which were not shared by anyone else. He did this so that these virtues and merits
of his may be well known to the people and there may be no difference with regard
Chapter 28 571
to his succession after him. In order to emphasise this, Rasulullah 

appointed him to the leadership (Imaamat) of the greatest of acts of worship, viz.
Salaah. It was for this reason that at the time of giving Abu Bakr  the pledge
of allegiance, the Sahaabah  said: “If Rasulullah  chose him for our
Deen (leadership in Salaah) why should we not choose him for our wordly affairs
(caliphate and leadership)?”
In this sermon Rasulullah  also asked that the army of Usaamah
 be despatched quickly. He also said: “I know that some people (referring to
the hypocrites) object to the leadership of Usaamah (for this army) in the sense that
why should a youngster be given leadership when there are so many other senior
people present? Listen! Even before this, there were people who objected to his
father’s (Zaid’s) leadership. By Allah! His father was qualified for that post and so
is his son, Usaamah, qualified for this post. Furthermore, he is extremely beloved to
me.”
Rasulullah  then said: “Allah’s curse befell the Jews and Christians
who turned the graves of their Prophets into places of prostration.” Rasulullah
 wanted to warn the ummah against turning his grave into a place of
prostration.
Rasulullah  said: “O people! The news has reached me that you have
become fearful of the demise of your Prophet. Has any Prophet before me remained
forever with his people that I should now remain forever with you? Allah Ta’ala
says:
ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺸﺮ ﻣ‬E‫وﻣﺎ ﺟﻌﻠۡﻨﺎ ﻟ‬
ۡ ‫ﻦﻗ‬
©‫ﺨ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻚ‬‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﺒ‬
ٍ
“We did not allow any human before you to remain till eternity.”
ْ
ۡ ‫ﺖﻣ‬ ْ ٌ ٌ
M‫ﻞ‬
‫اﻟﺮ ﺳ‬ ²‫ﻦ ﻗ ْﺒ‬ ‫ﺧ ﻠ‬
‫وﻣﺎ ﻣﺤ ﻤﺪ ا ﻻ رﺳ ۡﻮل ﻗﺪ‬

“Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers before him also passed away.”
“Listen! I have to meet Allah and you also have to meet Allah. I advise all the
Muslims to treat the early Muhaajireen with kindness, and I advise the early
Muhaajireen to remain steadfast on the fear of Allah and good deeds. Allah Ta’ala
says:
ْ ْ ْ ‫واﻟْﻌ‬
ٰ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣﻨ ۡﻮا و ﻋﻤﻠﻮا‬
ÓN N‫اﻟﺼﻠ ٰﺤﺖ و ﺗﻮاﺻ ْﻮا ﺑﺎﻟﺤ ﻖ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫ا‬ ﴾ۙ ۲﴿ ‫ﺮ‬ ْ ‫ﻲﺧ‬
‫ﺴ‬ ۡ ‫ ۙ﴾ ان اﻻ` ۡﺴﺎن ﻟﻔ‬۱﴿ ‫ﺼﺮ‬
ٍ
ْ ْ ‫و ﺗﻮ‬
﴾٪ ۳﴿ ‫ﺎﻟﺼﱪ‬
‫اﺻﻮا ﺑ‬
“By the token of time, man is certainly in loss. Except those who have Imaan and
did good deeds. And they advise each other in matters of truth and they advise each
other to exercise patience.”
“O Muslims! I advise you to treat the Ansaar well and with kindness. They are the
ones who gave refuge to Islam and Imaan. They made you partners in their homes,
lands, orchards and fruits. They gave preference to you over themselves despite
being in need and in poverty. Allah Ta’ala says:
ٌ ْ ‫ وﻟ ْﻮ ﻛﺎن ﺑ‬$ْ ‫ اﻧ ۡﻔﺴ‬¤ ‫و ﻳ ْﺆﺛﺮ ۡون ﻋ‬
‫ﺧﺼﺎﺻﺔ‬ $

“They give preference over themselves even though they themselves may be in dire
circumstances.”
“Listen! I am leaving before you. You will also meet me. Our meeting place will be
Haud-e-Kauthar.”
Rasulullah  then got off the mimbar and went to his room.
Rasulullah’s  last Salaah with congregation

As long as he had the strength, Rasulullah  would come to the Masjid for
Salaah and continue leading the Sahaabah  in Salaah. The last Salaah which
he led was the Maghrib Salaah of Thursday. He passed away four days later on a
Monday. Ummul Fadl  says that Rasulullah  led us in the Maghrib
Salaah in which he recited Surah wal-Mursalaat. He did not lead us in any Salaah
thereafter, and then he passed away. When the time for the Isha Salaah came, he
asked whether the people had performed their Salaah. The reply was given to him
that the people were waiting for him. He tried getting up several times but the
severity of his illness would cause him to fall unconscious. He eventually said:
“Order Abu Bakr to lead the Salaah on my behalf.” Aa’ishah  said to him: “O
Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is very soft-hearted. If he were to stand in your
place, he will be overcome by emotion and he will not be able to lead the people in
Salaah. He will start crying and people will not hear his recitation. You should
therefore order ‘Umar to lead the Salaah.” Although this is what Aa’ishah 
said to Rasulullah , in her heart she felt that the person who stands in the
place of Rasulullah  will consider him to be an ill omen (indicating the
departure of Rasulullah  from this world). Rasulullah  therefore
said to her: “You are like the women in the time of Yusuf . You verbally utter
something while you have something else in your heart. Inform Abu Bakr that
none but he has to lead the people in Salaah.”
Rasulullah  said this to Aa’ishah  three times, but each time
she refused. Rasulullah  persisted and emphasised that none but Abu
Bakr  should lead the Salaah. Eventually, Abu Bakr  began leading the
people in Salaah.
Chapter 28 573
On Saturday or Sunday when he felt a bit better, Rasulullah  took

support of ‘Abbaas  and Ali  and entered the Masjid. Abu Bakr 
was leading the Zuhr Salaah at that time. Rasulullah  sat down to the
right of Abu Bakr  and led the people for the remainder of the Salaah.
Rasulullah  was now the Imaam and Abu Bakr  began following
him. The remainder of the people completed their Salaah by following the Takbeers
of Abu Bakr .
This Zuhr Salaah was the last Salaah which Rasulullah  led. After
this, he did not come to the Masjid at all.
On Saturday, Usaamah  and other Sahaabah  who were to leave
for Jihaad came to meet Rasulullah . They bid farewell to Rasulullah
 and left. They left Madinah and stopped over at Juruf. They left in
obedience to the instruction of Rasulullah , but because of his illness,
they did not have the heart to leave. Rasulullah’s  condition worsened on
Sunday. On hearing this, Usaamah  came back to visit Rasulullah .
He saw that his condition was quite bad and that he was unable to speak. Usaamah
 bent down and kissed Rasulullah’s  forehead. Rasulullah
 raised both his hands towards the sky and then placed them on
Usaamah . Usaamah  says: “I think that Rasulullah  was
making dua for me.” He then returned to Juruf.
Aa’ishah  says that they assumed that Rasulullah  was
suffering from pleurisy. They therefore inserted some medicine into his mouth.
Rasulullah  indicated to them to stop but they thought that he was
merely portraying a natural dislike just as when a person is ill and shows a natural
dislike for a certain medicine. Later, when his condition improved, he asked: “Did I
not stop you? The punishment is that this medicine should be inserted into the
mouths of all of you, apart from ‘Abbaas because he did not join you in this
persistence.”
The day of Rasulullah’s  demise

It was a Monday when Rasulullah  left this fleeting world for the eternal
life of the hereafter and met with Allah Ta’ala. On the morning of this Monday he
raised the curtain of his room and saw that the Sahaabah were standing in lines
and offering their Fajr Salaah. On seeing the Sahaabah  he smiled.
Abu Bakr  intended to go back (from the spot where he was leading the
Salaah). Rasulullah  indicated to him to continue. Due to his weakness,
Rasulullah  could not stand up fully. He lowered the curtain of his room
and went back inside.
Rasulullah’s  raising the curtain and looking at the Sahaabah 

was the last time that he appeared before them. And it was the final opportunity of
their seeing the beauty of Rasulullah . A poet says:
‫وكنت أرى كلموت من بي ساعة فكيف ببي كن موعده الـش‬

“I used to consider a single moment’s separation (from him) to be death. Now what
can I say about this separation after which the next meeting will only be on the Day
of Resurrection?!”
When Abu Bakr  completed the Fajr Salaah, he went directly to the blessed
room of Rasulullah . He said to Aa’ishah : “I see that he is
enjoying peace at present, and the previous pain and discomfort seems to have
improved.” Abu Bakr  had two wives, one of whom lived just outside
Madinah. That day was the turn of the one who was living outside Madinah. He
therefore sought permission from Rasulullah  in the following words: “O
Prophet of Allah! I see that you have got up in a good condition this morning by
the bounty and grace of Allah Ta’ala. Today is the turn of Bint Khaarijah. Can I go
to her?” He replied: “Yes.”
When the others heard that Rasulullah  was feeling quite well, they
also returned to their homes.
Ali  came out of the room, people asked him about Rasulullah’s
 condition. He replied that all praise is due to Allah Ta’ala that he is
feeling quite well. The people were satisfied with this and therefore dispersed.
‘Abbaas  held Ali  by the hand and said to him: “O Ali! I swear by
Allah that after three days there will be another ruler and you will be his subject.
By Allah, I think that Rasulullah  is going to pass away in this illness. I
think we should ask him as to who should be the caliph after him. If it is one of us,
we will know of it. If not, he will advise us as to who it should be.” Ali 
replied: “It is possible that he will refuse to give it to one of us. If he does that, we
will be deprived of it forever. By Allah, I will not say a single word in this regard to
him.”
Rasulullah  in the throes of death
The people assumed that Rasulullah’s  condition had improved and they
therefore dispersed. After a short while, he began experiencing the pangs of death.
He placed his head in the lap of Aa’ishah  and lied down. Just then, her
brother, Abdur Rahmaan  came in with a miswaak in his hand. Rasulullah
 began looking at him. Aa’ishah  asked: “O Rasulullah! Should I
get a miswaak for you?” Rasulullah  nodded in the affirmative. She then
Chapter 28 575
asked: “Should I soften it for you?” He again nodded in the affirmative. She
softened it by chewing on it and then gave it to him. Later on, Aa’ishah 
used to proudly express this great favour of Allah Ta’ala that He caused her saliva
to mix with that of Rasulullah’s  during this final hour of his, that he
passed away in her room, when it was her turn, and on her shoulder.
The person who is constant in using the miswaak will automatically recite the
kalimah at the time of death, while this will not be the case of the one who
consumes opium.
A glass of water was kept at Rasulullah’s  side. He repeteadly
extended his hand towards it, dipped his hand in it and wiped his face with it.
While doing this, he would say: “There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Surely
there are many pangs of death.” He then looked at the ceiling, raised his hands and
said: “O Allah! I want to go to ar-Rafiq ul-A‘laa – the highest companion.” This
refers to the sanctified place which is the abode of the Prophets and Messengers.
‘Aa’ishah  says: “I had heard Rasulullah  saying on several
occasions that the soul of a Messenger is not taken until he is shown his abode in
Jannah, and until he is given the choice to either remain in this world or to leave it.
When he said the above words, I immediately understood that he will no longer
remain with us and that he has already chosen to be in the close companionship of
Allah Ta’ala. When he said:
َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َّ َّ ُ ّٰ َ
<‫اللهم الرفِيق ال‬
“O Allah! I desire to be in the highest companionship.”
His soul had traversed this realm towards the upper realm and his hands (which
had been raised) fell down.
َ
‫ج ُع ۡون‬ ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ۡ َ ِ‫ِ *نَّا إ‬4ّٰ ‫إِنَّا‬
َ ِ‫له‬
ِ
“To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.”
The date of Rasulullah’s  demise

This heart-rending and soul-tearing incident which deprived this world of the
blessings of prophet-hood and Messenger-ship and the illumination of divine
revelation took place on a Monday afternoon, on the 12th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal.
There is no difference of opinion with regard to the fact that Rasulullah
 passed away in Rabi‘ul-Awwal on a Monday.
However, there are various opinions with regard to the exact date of
Rasulullah’s  demise. The famous opinion is that it was the 12th of
Rabi‘ul-Awwal. Some say it was the 1st while others say it was the 2nd.
At the time of his demise, Rasulullah  was 63 years old.
The uneasiness of the Sahaabah 

As soon as the news of this sign of Qiyaamah reached the ears of the Sahaabah
, it was as though the resurrection had begun. The moment they received
this news, they lost their senses. Panic descended on Madinah. Whoever received
this news fell into bewilderment. ‘Usmaan  was in a state of shock. He was
sitting against a wall, and due to his extreme sorrow, was unable to speak. Ali
 cried so profusely that he fell unconscious. The mountain of grief and pain
that befell Aa’ishah  and the other wives of Rasulullah  cannot
even be described. ‘Abbaas  was also at a loss in this severe grief. ‘Umar
 suffered the most grief and affliction. He unsheathed his sword, stood up
and announced in a loud voice: “The hypocrites assume that Rasulullah 
has passed away. He certainly has not passed away. Rather he is gone to his
Sustainer just as Musa  went to Allah Ta’ala on Mt. Sinai and then returned.
By Allah, Rasulullah  will certainly come back in a similar manner and
then completely uproot the hypocrites.” ‘Umar  was in a state of fervour,
with his sword unsheathed. No one had the courage to tell him that Rasulullah
 had indeed passed away.
Abu Bakr  was not present at the time when Rasulullah  had
passed away. When he heard this heart-rending news, he immediately mounted his
horse and came to Madinah. He dismounted at the entrance of Masjid-e-Nabawi
and advanced towards Rasulullah’s  room very dejectedly. He asked
Aa’ishah  for permission and entered. Rasulullah  was on his bed
with all his wives sitting around him. When Abu Bakr  entered, all of them,
except Aa’ishah , covered their faces. Abu Bakr  removed the sheet
from Rasulullah’s  face, kissed his blessed forehead, and cried out saying:
‫ه وصفياه‬K‫وا نبياه واخلي‬

“O the Prophet of Allah! O the friend of Allah! O the chosen one of Allah!”
Abu Bakr  said this three times.
He then said: “May my parents be sacrificed for you. By Allah, He will not
cause you to taste death twice. The death that was prescribed for you has come to
you.” On saying this, he came out of the room and saw that ‘Umar  was in a
highly emotional state. Abu Bakr  said: “Rasulullah  has passed
away. O ‘Umar! Have you not heard these words of Allah Ta’ala:
ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺸﺮ ﻣ ۡﻦ ﻗ‬E‫﴿إ ّﻧَﻚ ﻣﻴﺖ وإ ّﻧَﻬﻢ َﻣ ﺘﻮن وﻣﺎ ﺟﻌﻠۡﻨﺎ ﻟ‬
﴾.© ‫ﺨ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻚ‬‫ﻠ‬‫ﺒ‬
ٍ َ ۡ ُ ّ ِ ّ ۡ ُ ِ َ ٌ ِّ َ َ ِ
Chapter 28 577
‘You shall certainly die and they shall certainly die (as well). We did not permit
eternity for any human since before.’”
The people then left the assembly of ‘Umar  and congregated around Abu
Bakr .
Abu Bakr’s  sermon
Abu Bakr  went towards the mimbar, announced in a loud voice that
everyone should remain silent and be seated. When they were all seated, he praised
and glorified Allah Ta’ala and then delivered the following sermon:
“Whoever among you had been worshipping Allah, then surely Allah is alive
and does not die. Whoever among you had been worshipping Muhammad
, then Muhammad  has certainly passed on. Allah Ta’ala says:
‘Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers before him passed away. If he dies or
is killed, are you going to turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels
will never harm Allah in any way. Allah shall certainly reward the grateful ones.’
Allah Ta’ala addressed Muhammad : ‘You shall certainly die and they
shall certainly die (as well).’ Allah Ta’ala says: ‘Everything is going to come to an
end except the essence of Allah. To Him belongs absolute authority and it is to Him
that you will be returned.’ Allah Ta’ala says: ‘Everything that is on earth is to die.
It is only the countenance of your Sustainer, the possessor of might and honour,
that will remain.’ Allah Ta’ala says: ‘Every soul shall taste death. You shall receive
your recompense in full on the day of resurrection.’
Surely Allah Ta’ala caused Muhammad  to live until such a time
that he established the religion of Allah, clearly explained the injunctions of Allah,
conveyed the message of Allah, and strove in the cause of Allah. Allah Ta’ala then
caused him to pass away in a manner that he left you on a clear path. Now
whoever goes astray and is destroyed will do so after the truth had been laid bare
to him. He whose Sustainer is Allah, let him know that Allah is alive and does not
die. He who had been worshipping Muhammad  and considering him to
be a deity, let him know that his deity has died. Fear Allah then, O people, hold on
firmly to your religion, and place your trust on your Sustainer. Surely the religion
of Allah shall remain and the promise of Allah will be fulfilled. Allah shall
certainly help the one who helps Him, and He shall give honour to His religion.
The Book of Allah is with us. It is a light and a cure. It was through this Book that
Allah guided Muhammad . It contains the lawful and unlawful matters
of Allah. By Allah, we are not bothered in the least by the one who attacks us. The
swords of Allah are unsheathed; we have not laid them down. We will wage Jihaad
against those who fight against us just as we had joined the Messenger of Allah
 in waging Jihaad. The opponents should therefore beware and blame
none but themselves.”
No sooner had Abu Bakr  delivered these words, the Sahaabah 

came out of their stupor and the veils of absentmindedness were raised. They were
all convinced that Rasulullah  had indeed passed away. It seemed as if
they had never heard these verses of the Qur-aan before. They all began reciting
these verses.
It is stated in one narration that when Abu Bakr  received the news of
Rasulullah’s  demise, he immediately left his house at Sunh and
proceeded towards Madinah. He approached crying, gasping for breath and
panting. He entered the room of Rasulullah  in that very condition while
sending salutations to Rasulullah . Despite this grief and sorrow, he was
fully conscious and did not lose his senses in the least.
He exposed the blessed face of Rasulullah  and kissed his forehead.
He continued crying and continued saying: “May my parents be sacrificed for you.
You remained pure both in life and in death. By your demise, the chain of prophet-
hood and divine revelation have both come to an end. Both of these never came to
an end with the demise of any other Prophet. You are beyond description and in no
need of this crying. You are unique in that your being is such that others can take
consolation from your death. You benefited all of us to the extent that we all
became equal before you. Were it not for the fact that your death was by your
choice (Allah had given you the choice to choose between this world and the
hereafter) we would all have sacrificed our lives for your life. Were it not for the
fact that you had prohibited us from excessive crying, we would have exhausted all
the tears of our eyes. However, there are two things which we cannot remove and
wipe out: (1) the sorrow of being separated from you, (2) our bodies becoming thin
because of our sorrow. These are two things that are inseparable. O Allah! Convey
this condition of ours (to our Prophet). And O Muhammad ! Mention us
by your Sustainer. We hope that you will remember us.”
“Had you not filled our hearts with peace and tranquillity by remaining in
your company, we would never have been able to bear the loss of this separation.”
Abu Bakr  then left the room and addressed the people.
The remainder of Abu Bakr’s  sermon
َ َ‫ص َع ۡب َده َو َغل‬

‫ب‬ َ َ َ‫ َو ۡح َدهُ َو َص َد َق َو ۡع َدهُ َون‬4‫ا‬ ُ ّٰ Oَِّ ‫ ا ٰ َِل ا‬O
َّ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ
‫اشهد ان‬
‫ال ۡم ُد َو ۡح َدهُ واشهد ان ممدا عبده ورسول‬ َ ۡ ِ‫اب َو ۡح َد ٗه فَل ِّٰله‬ َۡ
َ ‫ ۡح َز‬O‫ا‬
‫وخاتم انبياء ه واشهد ان الكتاب كما نزل وان الين كما شع وان‬
ّٰ
‫ هو الق المبي‬4‫الديث كما حدث وان القول كما قال وان ا‬
Chapter 28 579
“I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, He is one. He fulfilled
His promise, helped His servant, and vanquished the enemies single-handedly. So
all praise belongs to Allah alone.”
“I testify that Muhammad  is His servant, His Messenger and the seal of
His Prophets. I testify that the Book (Qur-aan) is exactly as it was revealed, that the
religion (Islam) is exactly as He propagated, that the Hadith is exactly as he
(Muhammad ) related, that the words are exactly as he (Muhammad
) said, and that Allah is the truth, the expounder of the truth.”
“O Allah! Send salutations to Muhammad, Your servant, Messenger, Prophet,
beloved, entrusted one, the best of Your creation, the choicest of Your creation –
with the best salutations that You ever sent to any of Your creations. O Allah! Cause
Your salutations, Your protection, Your mercy, and Your blessings to descend on the
leader of the Messengers, the seal of Prophets, and the leader of the righteous,
Muhammad – the guide towards good, the leader of good, and the Messenger of
mercy. O Allah! Make him even closer (to You), make his evidence greater, honour
his position, and convey him to the Maqaam-e-Mahmud (the place of intercession)
regarding which all the past and future generations will desire. Enable us to benefit
from his Maqaam-e-Mahmud on the day of resurrection. Shower us with Your
mercy in this world and in the hereafter as compensation for him. Convey him to
the highest stages of Jannah. O Allah! Send salutations to Muhammad and the
family of Muhammad, and bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as
You sent salutations and blessings on Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem,
surely You alone are praiseworthy, majestic.”
‫ثم قال ايها الاس من كن يعبد ممدا فان ممدا قد مات ومن كن‬
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
K‫ قد تقدم لكم ف امره ف‬4‫ يموت و ان ا‬O ‫ ح‬4‫ فان ا‬4‫يعبدا‬
ّٰ
‫م ما‬K‫ تبارك و تعا¯ قد اختار لبيه عليه الس‬4‫تدعوه جزع وان ا‬
‫عنده < ما عند كم وقبضه ا¯ ثوابه وخلف فيكم كتابه وسنة‬
َّ َ
‫ ي ٰٓايُّها ال ِۡي َن امنوا‬.‫نبيه فمن اخذبهما عرف ومن فرق بينهما انكر‬
O‫ يشغلنكم الشيطان بموت نبيكم و‬O‫قوامي بالقسط و‬ ّ ‫ُك ۡونُ ۡوا‬
O‫يفتنكم عن دينكم وعجلوا الشيطان بالي وتعجزوه و‬

‫تستنظروه فيلحق بكم ويفتنكم‬
He then said: “O people! He who was worshipping Muhammad  should
know that Muhammad  has passed away. He who was worshipping Allah
should know that Allah is alive, He does not die. Allah had already alluded to his
(Muhammad’s ) passing away. There is therefore no need to become
distressed. Allah Ta’ala chose His Prophet  to be with Him than to be with
you and He took him to His honourable abode. He left behind His Book and the
Sunnah of His Prophet with you. He who holds on firmly to both of them has truly
recognised the truth. He who separates the two (e.g. by believing in one and not in
the other) has not recognised the truth. O you who are believers! Be the upholders of
justice. Do not allow shaytaan to keep you preoccupied with the death of your
Prophet. Do not allow him to move you away from your religion. Hasten towards
good before shaytaan can tempt you. Frustrate his efforts by hastening towards
good. Do not give him any time to come to you and tempt you.”
When he completed his sermon, he said: “O ‘Umar! Is it true what I heard about
you, that you were standing at the door of the Prophet  and saying: ‘By
that being in whose control is the life of ‘Umar, the Prophet of Allah has not died’?
Do you not remember what Rasulullah  said on such and such day? And
that Allah Ta’ala said in His Book: ‘You are to die and they are also to die.’” ‘Umar
 said: “By Allah, it was as though I had never heard this verse before. This
was because of the calamity that afflicted us (i.e. because we were so overcome by
grief over the demise of Rasulullah ). I testify that the Book is exactly as
it was revealed, the Hadith is as he related, and that Allah is alive, He does not die.
To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. Salutations of Allah Ta’ala on His
Messenger. We hope that we will be rewarded by Allah for this calamity.”
Chapter 29
The Ansaar gather at Saqeefah Bani Saa‘idah
After this tragic incident took place, Abu Bakr  learnt that the Ansaar
gathered at Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah to discuss the successor to Rasulullah
. The Muhaajireen asked Abu Bakr  to present himself there as
well. Abu Bakr , ‘Umar  and some of the Muhaajireen all proceeded
there.
Hadhrat Abu Bakr  and Hadhrat ‘Umar  feared that the people
might become hasty and pledge their allegiance to just anyone which could become
a cause of disunity later on. When this matter was sorted out and Abu Bakr 
was unanimously chosen as the caliph and successor to Rasulullah , the
Muslims began preparations for the enshrouding and burial of Rasulullah
. This meeting at the Saqeefah took place on Monday evening. The tragic
news of Rasulullah’s  demise was announced around mid-day, after
which Abu Bakr  came from his house in Sunh and delivered his sermon. At
some time in the evening the gathering at Saqeefah took place.
The family of Rasulullah  were gathered in his room. When Abu
Bakr  and ‘Umar  heard about the gathering of the Ansaar in the
Saqeefah, they proceeded there. They knew that since Rasulullah  has
passed away, the coming down of divine revelation has terminated, and Rasulullah
 had been continually warning of impending trials and tribulations. In
the present circumstances, no forms of rebellion, division and disunity should take
place which would completely turn the organisation of Islam upside down. This
would cause the 23 year effort of Rasulullah  to be reduced to disarray,
and the body of Islam to become disunited and scattered. This would make it
difficult to bring it back together again.
Abu Bakr  went to the Saqeefah in order to resolve the matter of
succession. However, no one knew that Allah Ta’ala had already destined that he
581
would be the very one to succeed Rasulullah . He was forced into

accepting this position. He tried his utmost to delay this matter. But in his presence,
the people looked up to no one else. Abu Bakr  did not even imagine that he
would be appointed as the caliph of Islam. He went solely to prevent any disunity.
He did not know that this position of caliph will be placed on his head.
ّٰ ُ ۡ َ َ َ
ُ ‫ِ يُ ۡؤت ِۡيهِ َم ۡن ي َّ َش‬4‫ا‬
‫آء‬ ‫ذل ِك فضل‬
“This is the virtue from Allah which He bestows on whomever He wills.”
The burial arrangements

After pledging their allegiance to Abu Bakr , the people began the burial
arrangements. When they intended bathing Rasulullah , the question of
whether his clothes should be removed or not arose. The people were suddenly put
into a daze and they heard an unseen voice saying that the Messenger’s 
clothes should not be removed. He should be bathed in his clothes. He was thus
given a bath with his clothes on and then they were removed (for the shroud).
Ali  was giving the bath, ‘Abbaas  and his two sons, Fadl 
and Qathm , were changing the position of Rasulullah , while
Usaamah  and Shuqraan  were pouring the water.
After the bath, Rasulullah  was enshrouded in three lengths of cloth
which did not contain a shirt and turban. The clothes in which he was bathed were
removed.
The question then arose as to where he should be buried. Abu Bakr 
said: “I heard Rasulullah  saying that the Messenger is buried in the very
place where he passes away.”
Rasulullah’s  bed was therefore moved from its spot and his grave
was dug there. However, there was a difference with regard to the type of grave
that should be dug. The Muhaajireen said that the type that is dug in Makkah
should be dug, viz. a standard grave with an indentation on one side where the
body is tucked in. The Ansaar said that the Madinah type of grave should be dug,
viz. a standard grave with a trench at the center of the bottom of the grave. Abu
‘Ubaydah  and Abu Talhah  were knowledgeable in digging each of
these graves respectively. It was therefore decided to call both of them. The one
who reaches first will dig the type of grave that he is an expert at. Abu Talhah
 reached first and so a trench type of grave was dug.
Chapter 29 583
The Janaazah Salaah

When they completed the burial arrangements on Monday, the blessed body of
Rasulullah  was placed in front of his grave. Group after group would
come into the room and offer the Janaazah Salaah individually. No one was the
Imaam for this Salaah. Each person came, offered his Salaah and left.
The people asked Abu Bakr  as to whether the Janaazah Salaah for
Rasulullah  should be read. He replied in the affirmative. They asked him
the procedure. He said that one group at a time should go into the room, say the
Takbeer (Allah is the greatest), and after sending Durood and reciting the
prescribed dua, he should return. Everyone should offer the Salaah in this way.
Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar  also entered the room of Rasulullah
 with a group, stood before the body of Rasulullah  and read
the following:
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ اللهم إنا نشهد أنه قد بلغ ما‬4‫م عليك أيها الب ورحة ا‬K‫الس‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ دينه‬4‫ حت أعز ا‬4‫أنزل إله ونصح لمته وجاهد ف سبيل ا‬
‫وتمت كمته فاجعلنا يا إلهنا ممن يتبع القول الي أنزل معه واجع‬
O ‫بيننا وبينه حت يعرفنا ونعرفه فإنه كن بالمؤمني رؤفا رحيما‬
‫ نشتي به ثمنا‬O‫ و‬O‫نبتغ باليمان بد‬
“Peace and mercy of Allah be on you O Prophet! O Allah! We testify that he
conveyed whatever was revealed to him. He advised his followers and fought in the
cause of Allah until Allah elevated His religion and fulfilled His promise. O Allah!
Make us among those who follow the revelation that was sent to him and join us
with him so that we may recognize each other. Surely he was kind and merciful to
the believers. We do not desire anything in exchange for Imaan and we will not sell
it for any price.”
The people who were present said Aameen to this dua. When the men completed,
the women went in. They were then followed by the children.
When Rasulullah  was on his death bed, he summoned his family
members. They asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Who should perform your Janaazah
Salaah?” He replied: “When you are over with my burial arrangements, you should
all leave my room for a little while. Jibraa’eel  will be the first one to offer
the Janaazah Salaah. He will be followed by Mikaa’eel , Israafeel , the
angel of death, and then the remaining angels. Thereafter, you should all come in
groups and send durood to me.”
Allah Ta’ala says the following with regard to Rasulullah :
ٗ
﴾ ‫ا\ﻳ ۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮا ﺻ ﻠ ۡﻮا ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻪ و ﺳ ﻠ ﻤ ۡﻮا ¼ ْﺴﻠ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬
. ‫ ﻳ ﺎ ﻳ ﻬﺎ‬MN‫اﻟﻨ‬ ¤‫ﻜﺘﻪ ﻳﺼ ﻠ ۡﻮن ﻋ‬ ٰ‫﴿ ا ن اﷲ وﻣﻠ‬

“Surely Allah and His angels send salutations on the Messenger. O you who believe!
Send salutations and peace on him.”
This verse commands each believer to send individual Durood to him. Just as it was
incumbent to send Durood without any Imaam and without any congregation
when he was alive, so too after his demise, Durood is to be sent without any Imaam
and without any congregation.
30 000 people offered the Janaazah Salaah for Rasulullah .
Burial
Rasulullah  passed away on a Monday afternoon. It was the same time as
when he had emigrated from Makkah and entered Madinah. The majority of
scholars are of the opinion that he was buried on Wednesday. Others are of the
opinion that he was buried on Tuesday.
Ali , ‘Abbaas  and his two sons, Fadl  and Qasam ,
lowered Rasulullah  into his grave. When they completed the burial, the
grave was heaped in the shape of a camel’s hump. Water was then sprinkled on it.
After completing the burial, the Sahaabah  returned to their homes, sad
and dejected. They continued reciting:
َ
َ ِ‫له‬
ِ
Chapter 30
Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah and the pledge of allegiance
Rasulullah  departed from the fleeting world to the eternal life of the
hereafter on a Monday afternoon. On hearing this news, the Sahaabah  were
left in a stupor. Some of them felt that he had not died as yet. This was based on
their extreme love for him and not due to misunderstanding. On hearing this news,
Abu Bakr  came very sadly and dejectedly into Madinah and consoled the
Sahaabah .
On that evening, someone came and informed Abu Bakr  that the
Ansaar had gathered in the Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah and that they want to pledge
their allegiance to Sa‘d ibn Abi ‘Ubaadah . Some Ansaar were also suggesting
that one leader should be from them and another from the Quraysh. Some of the
Ansaar felt that they were eligible for the caliphate because they had helped the
religion, gave refuge to Rasulullah  and joined him in waging Jihaad
against the enemies of Allah Ta’ala. Some of the other Ansaar objected to this. The
discussions in this regard continued. This news gradually reached Abu Bakr 
and ‘Umar . They both went to Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah together with Abu
‘Ubaydah ibnul-Jarrah  in order to control the situation just in case problems
break out. They met ‘Aasim ibn ‘Adiyy and ‘Uwaym ibn Saa’idah on the way.
These two tried to stop them from proceeding, but they continued and rushed to
where the Ansaar were meeting. Mutual discussions then ensued.
When they reached the Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah  was
already present. He was sitting down with a blanket around him. He was ill but the
Ansaar brought him to the meeting so that they could appoint him as the leader.
585
The speech of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah 
Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah  stood up and after praising and glorifying Allah Ta’ala,
he delivered the following speech:
‫م وانتم يا معش قريش رهط‬K‫س‬O‫نصار وكتيبة ا‬O‫اما بعد ! فنحن ا‬

‫بيننا وقد دفت النا دافة من قومكم فاذا هم يريدون ان يغصبونا‬
‫مر‬O‫ا‬
“We are the Ansaar - the helpers of Islam and the army of Islam. And you, Quraysh,
are a small group among us (i.e. we are in the majority while you are in the
minority). A small group of your people came and sought refuge with us. Now they
want to snatch away our right to the caliphate.”
Another narration states that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah  said the following in
his speech:
“O group of Ansaar! You surpassed others (in embracing Islam) and enjoy a virtue
that no other Arabs enjoy. Muhammad  lived among his own people for
over 10 years, inviting them, but only a few believed in him. They were so few that
they were unable to defend him, to give honour to his religion nor to stop the
oppression of an enemy. When Allah decided to give you virtue, He conveyed the
means of honour to you and blessed you with Imaan in Him and in His Messenger
. He gave you the ability to defend His Messenger  and his
Companions, and to wage Jihaad against his enemies. You were the firmest against
his enemies until the Arabs submitted to the order of Allah Ta’ala willingly and
unwillingly. Even those who lived far away were vanquished and submitted before
him. The Arabs became obedient to His Messenger  through your swords.
Allah Ta’ala then caused him to leave this world in a state that he was pleased and
delighted with you. You should take up this position (of caliphate) because it is your
right and no one else’s.”
Those who were present liked this speech tremendously and they all expressed
their agreement. Discussions in this regard ensued and the Muhaajireen raised their
objection by saying: “We are the first Companions of Rasulullah . We
were the first ones to believe in him and we belong to his tribe. We emigrated with
him, leaving behind our families, relatives, homeland and everything else and came
here.” The Ansaar said: “We should rather have two leaders, one from the
Muhaajireen and one from the Ansaar. Both of them should take up the
responsibility of the caliphate and work together for the general good.” On hearing
Chapter 30 587
this, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah  said: “This would entail the first weakness (in
Islam).”
‘Umar  wanted to say something but Abu Bakr  asked him to
remain silent. Since he did not want to displease Abu Bakr , he sat down.
Abu Bakr  then delivered the following speech:
Abu Bakr’s  speech
Abu Bakr  stood up, and after praising and glorifying Allah Ta’ala, delivered
the following speech:
“Allah sent a Messenger among us who would watch over the ummah so that they
may worship Allah alone. Previously, they used to worship many idols made of rock
and wood. It was difficult for the Arabs to leave the religion of their forefathers.
Allah thus gave special inspiration to the early emigrants (Muhaajireen) from his
people to believe him, to support him, to remain patient over the severe hardships
that were imposed by his people, and their rejection of him. All the people were
against him and his supporters. Despite their small number, they were not
intimidated by their opponents and they did not abandon him. So they were the first
people on earth to worship Allah and to believe in Allah and the Messenger. They
are the Messenger’s associates and family. They are more eligible for this caliphate
than others. None but a wrongdoer can dispute with them in this matter. As for you,
O Ansaar! None can deny your virtue in religion nor your early acceptance of Islam.
Allah was pleased with you as the helpers of His religion and His Messenger, and
He promulgated the emigration towards you. After the early emigrants, you enjoy
the highest status. We are therefore the leaders while you are the ministers. Your
counsel will be sought and no matter will be decided without consulting with you.”
Another narration states that Abu Bakr  gave the following reply to the
Ansaar:
‫ لهذا‬O‫مر ا‬O‫ما ذكرتم من خي فانتم اهل وما تعرف العرب هذا ا‬

‫الح من قريش هم اوسط العرب نسبا ودارا‬
“Your merits which you enumerated are certainly found in you. However, the
Arabs will not recognise the caliphate for anyone but the Quraysh because they are
considered to be the most superior in their lineage and their place of residence
(Makkah).”
What Abu Bakr  meant by this was that a caliph should be from a
people whose leadership and genealogical honour are widely accepted so that
people may unanimously accept this leadership and that they do not consider it
beneath them to follow and obey him. As long as any type of honour, virtue and
merit is not accepted, people are not ready for any type of obedience. Instead, they
consider him to be low and contemptible. Abu Bakr  wanted to show to them
that the virtue and merit of the Quraysh was accepted by all the Arabs. They do
not look up to the Aus and Khazraj with any real honour and respect. Therefore, if
anyone from the Ansaar was appointed as the leader, the Arab tribes will not be
prepared to follow and obey him. The general masses of the country will not
unanimously accept his leadership. The most important aspect concerning the
caliphate and leadership is that the people must accept the leader, and they must be
united and unanimous about his leadership.
Another narration states that Abu Bakr  addressed the Ansaar saying:
ّٰ
‫ئكم ف‬K‫ ب‬O‫ ما ننكر فضلكم و‬4‫نصار انا وا‬O‫يا معش ا‬
‫ حقكم الواجب علينا ولكن قد عرفتم ان هذا الح‬O‫م و‬K‫س‬O‫ا‬
‫من قريش بمنلة من العرب فليس بها غيهم وان العرب لن تتمع‬
ّٰ
O‫ و‬4‫مراء وانتم الوزراء فاتقوا ا‬O‫ < رجل منهم فنحن ا‬O‫ا‬
‫ وقد‬O‫م ا‬K‫س‬O‫ تكونوا اول من احدث ف ا‬O‫م و‬K‫س‬O‫تصدعوا ا‬
‫ ب عبيدة فايهما‬O‫ اي لعمر و‬.¯ ‫رضيت لكم احد هذين الرجلي‬
‫بايعتم فهو لكم ثقة‬
“O group of Ansaar! I take an oath by Allah that we do not deny your virtue and
your sacrifices in Islam, nor your incumbent right over us. But you know that the
Quraysh hold a certain position among the Arabs which is not shared by anyone
else. The Arabs will never rally around anyone but someone from them. We shall
therefore be the leaders and you will be the ministers. Fear Allah, then, and do not
be the first ones to split Islam and do not be the first ones to introduce innovations
in Islam. It is my opinion that one of these two men are appropriate for the
leadership, ‘Umar and Abu ‘Ubaydah. Which ever of the two you pledge allegiance
to will be worthy of your trust and confidence.”
After this speech of Abu Bakr , Khabbaab ibnul-Munzir ibn Jamooh 
stood up and said that it would be appropriate to appoint one leader from the
Ansaar and one from the Muhaajireen. Abu Bakr  replied that Rasulullah
 said that the leaders should be from the Quraysh.
Chapter 30 589
Abu Bakr  replied:

“It is not permissible for the Muslims to have two leaders. If this were to happen,
their orders and commands would differ, the unity of the Muslims will be scattered
and they will differ with each other. When this happens, the Sunnah will be
abandoned, innovations will come to the fore, and rebellion will increase. There is
no good for anyone in this. This matter of caliphate will remain among the Quraysh
as long as they obey Allah and they remain steadfast on His commands. This
Hadith has reached you or you have heard it from Rasulullah : ‘Do not
differ, or else you will become cowardly and your power will dissolve. Remain
patient for Allah is with the patient ones.’ So we shall be the leaders and you the
ministers. You are our brothers in Islam and our helpers and supporters in it.”
‘Umar  said: “How sad! Can there be two swords in one sheath!? Can a
woman have two husbands!?” In other words, one country cannot have two rulers.
‘Umar’s  reply was a rational reply while that of Abu Bakr  was a
traditional reply – he quoted a clear statement of Rasulullah . Basheer
ibn Sa‘d Ansaari said: “I have also heard this Hadith from Rasulullah .”
Other Ansaar and Muhaajireen also affirmed this Hadith. Khabbaab ibnul-Mundhir
 and other Ansaar who were persistent on having a caliph from the Ansaar
also changed their opinions after hearing this Hadith. The noise and clamour with
regard to the matter of caliphate all subsided and everyone remained silent.
Zaid ibn Saabit , the scribe of Rasulullah , said: “Rasulullah
 was from the Muhaajireen. His caliph should therefore be from the
Muhaajireen. Just as we had been the helpers and supporters of Rasulullah
, we shall remain the helpers and supporters of Rasulullah’s 
deputy.” He then held the hand of Abu Bakr  and said: “This is your caliph,
pledge allegiance to him.”
Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah’s  acknowledgement
Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar  went to (the Saqeefah Bani Saa’idah) and spoke
to the Ansaar. Abu Bakr  addressed them and enumerated all the virtues and
merits of the Ansaar. He said to them: ‘You know that Rasulullah  said
that if the people were to choose to travel through a particular valley while the
Ansaar chose another valley, he would travel through the valley chosen by the
Ansaar. And you know very well, O Sa‘d, that on one occasion you were sitting in
the assembly of Rasulullah  when he said: ‘The Quraysh should be in
charge of this matter of caliphate. The good among them follow the good people
while the evil ones among them follow the evil people.’ Sa‘d said to him: ‘You have
spoken the truth. We are the ministers while you are the leaders.’”
This narration explicitly states that Abu Bakr  addressed Sa‘d ibn
‘Ubaadah  by taking an oath in the name of Allah Ta’ala that he was present
when Rasulullah  said that the Quraysh should be in charge of this
matter. Sa‘d  replied by saying: “You have spoken the truth.” It is for this
reason that Ibn Katheer  has a special chapter titled: “Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah’s
testimony to the authenticity of what Abu Bakr  said at the meeting in the
Saqeefah.”
‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood  narrates that when the Ansaar proposed that
there should be one leader from them and one from the Muhaajireen, ‘Umar 
said: “O group of Ansaar! You know that Rasulullah  ordered that Abu
Bakr  should lead the people in Salaah. Now who among you would like to
go ahead of Abu Bakr ?” The Ansaar replied: “We seek refuge in Allah from
trying to go ahead of Abu Bakr .”
What he meant by this is that Rasulullah  specifically emphasised
and insisted that Abu Bakr  should lead the people in Salaah and to take his
place. This was a clear proof that Rasulullah  considered Abu Bakr 
to be the most preferable for nomination as Khalifah.
A Hadith of Shamaa’il Tirmizi states that when the Ansaar suggested that
there should be one leader from them and one from the Muhaajireen, ‘Umar 
enumerated three qualities of Abu Bakr  and asked the assembly if anyone
else possessed these three qualities:
• Allah Ta’ala referred to Abu Bakr  as one of the two (Abu Bakr 
and Rasulullah ) who were in the cave. (‫)ثان اثني إذ هما ف الغار‬
• Allah Ta’ala referred to Abu Bakr  as being the close companion of

Rasulullah . (‫ تزن‬O ‫)إذ يقول لصاحبه‬
• Allah Ta’ala referred to His being with them (Rasulullah  and Abu
ّٰ
Bakr ). (‫ معنا‬4‫)إن ا‬
It should be borne in mind that Allah’s companionship and knowledge is with

everyone and encompasses everyone. Yet, He specifically mentions His presence in
the above verse.
These three qualities of Abu Bakr  are established from the Qur-aan.
This demonstrates his pre-eminence and that he alone is eligible for the caliphate.
Abu Bakr  then addressed the assembly and said to the people: “‘Umar
and Abu ‘Ubaydah are both present here. Choose whichever of the two you want
as your leader.” ‘Umar  and Abu ‘Ubaydah  both said: “We take an
oath by Allah that it is impossible for us to take the reigns of caliphate in your
Chapter 30 591
presence. You are the most superior among all the Muhaajireen. Salaah is a pillar of
Islam and the most superior fundamental of the religion of Islam – Rasulullah
 appointed you to lead the people in Salaah and made you stand in his
place. O Abu Bakr! Give us your hand and we will pledge allegiance to you.”
A Hadith states that Abu Bakr  addressed ‘Umar  saying: “O
‘Umar! Extend your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.” ‘Umar 
replied: “You are better than me.” Abu Bakr  replied: “You are stronger than
me.” ‘Umar  eventually said: “My strength will be with you together with
your superiority.” In other words, the superior person (Abu Bakr ) will be the
leader and the stronger person (‘Umar ) will be his minister.
‘Umar  then asked Abu Bakr  to extend his hand so that he
could pledge his allegiance to him. When ‘Umar  and Abu ‘Ubaydah 
were about to extend their hands to Abu Bakr , Basheer ibn Sa‘d Ansaari
 hastened forward and pledged his allegiance to Abu Bakr . ‘Umar
 and Abu ‘Ubaydah  then followed suit.
The general pledge after the special pledge

Abu Bakr  was chosen as the caliph after the unanimous decision of the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar. The assembly came to an end after the pledge of
allegiance. This took place on the evening of the Monday on which Rasulullah
 passed away. In other words, this special pledge took place on the
evening of the 12th of Rabi‘ul-Awwal 11 A.H. The general pledge took place the
following day, Tuesday, in the Masjid-e-Nabawi on the mimbar.
After the pledge at the Saqeefah, the people gathered the following day in the
Masjid-e-Nabawi. All the senior Sahaabah , Muhaajireen and Ansaar were
present. ‘Umar  first stood up and delivered a short but comprehensive
speech. Abu Bakr  remained seated silently.
‘Umar  delivers a speech before the general pledge
‘Umar  said: “I hoped that Rasulullah  would pass away after all of
us. Since he has passed away, if Allah Ta’ala wills, there will be no void in the
religion because Allah Ta’ala placed a guiding light (the Qur-aan) in your midst.
This is the means for your guidance. After Rasulullah , Abu Bakr 
is present amongst you. He is the companion of Rasulullah  in the cave
and the second of the two. He is Rasulullah’s  special friend and
companion. From all the Muslims, he alone is eligible to take the reigns of authority
in all matters. O Muslims! Get up and pledge allegiance at his hands.”
A Hadith states that ‘Umar  asked: “O Muslims! Who is there apart from
Abu Bakr regarding whom Allah Ta’ala said: ‘The second of the two when they
were in the cave’? And who is there apart from Abu Bakr regarding whom Allah
Ta’ala referred to as the companion of Rasulullah ? ‘When he said to his
companion.’ And who is there apart from Abu Bakr regarding whom Allah said:
‘Surely Allah is with us.’? In short, there was no one beneath the heavens and on
the surface of the earth who shared these excellent qualities with Abu Bakr .
How then, can there be anyone to share with him the eligibility of becoming
caliph? You should understand well that the person regarding whom Allah Ta’ala
said: ‘The second of the two’, is a unique person – he has no second. You should
therefore go to him and pledge allegiance at his hands. His hands come after those
of Rasulullah .”
When ‘Umar  completed his speech, he asked Abu Bakr  to ascend
the mimbar. Abu Bakr  hesitated, but ‘Umar  urged him on. Abu Bakr
 eventually climbed the mimbar and the general body of Muslims pledged
their allegiance to him.
Abu Bakr’s  first speech after the general pledge
After ‘Umar  urged Abu Bakr  to climb the mimbar, he did so but he
sat on a step lower than that on which Rasulullah  used to sit. He then
took the pledge of allegiance from the general body of Muslims. He then addressed
the assembly as follows:
“O people! I have been made your leader despite not being the best of you. If I do
good, help me. If I do anything wrong, correct me. Honesty is an act of
trustworthiness while dishonesty is an act of treachery. The weak among you is
strong in my sight till I remove his complaint, if Allah Ta’ala wills. The strong
among you is weak in my sight till I take the dues from him, if Allah Ta’ala wills.
When a people abandons Jihaad in the cause of Allah, He disgraces them. When
immorality becomes rife in a people, Allah Ta’ala encompasses them with
calamities. Obey me as long as I obey Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger . If
I disobey Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger , you do not have to obey me.
You may now stand up for the Salaah. May Allah have mercy on you.”
Abdur Rahman ibn Auf  narrates: “Abu Bakr delivered a speech and said: ‘I
take an oath by Allah that I never desired leadership – neither by day nor by night.
I was neither inclined towards it nor did I ask Allah for it in secrecy or in public.
However, I feared disunity. I find no solace in leadership. I have been shouldered
with a very serious matter. I neither have the strength nor the power to bear it
except by the strength and support of Allah Ta’ala.’”
Chapter 30 593
The following is related in Kanzul Ummaal: Abu Bakr  delivered a

speech and said:
“O people! If you think that I took your caliphate out of desire for it or out of the
desire to be above you and the Muslims, then I take an oath by that Being in whose
control is my life, that I neither took it out of desire for it nor out of the desire to be
above you and the Muslims. I neither longed for it in secrecy nor in public. I have
been shouldered with a serious matter. I do not have the strength to bear it unless
Allah Ta’ala helps me. It was my wish that it should have been given to any other
companion of Rasulullah  who would deal with justice. I am now
returning it to you and the pledge that you gave me is terminated. Give this
caliphate to whomever you wish, I am just an ordinary person amongst you.”
Ali’s  pledge of allegiance
When all the people pledged their allegiance, Abu Bakr  looked at the
assembly and did not see Ali  and Zubayr . He said: “I do not see Ali
and Zubayr. Call them as well.” Some people from the Ansaar got up and went to
call them. Abu Bakr  addressed them saying: “O cousin and son-in-law of
Rasulullah! Do you wish to cause disunity among the Muslims?” He posed the same
question to Zubayr  as well. They both replied: “O caliph of Rasulullah! Do
not rebuke us. We do not wish to cause disunity among the Muslims.” Ali 
and Zubayr  said:
“We are not angry except for the fact that we were left out of the consultation. We
consider Abu Bakr  to be the most eligible for the caliphate. He was the
companion (of Rasulullah ) in the cave. We acknowledge his merit and
distinction. The Messenger of Allah  had ordered him to lead the people in
Salaah while he was alive.”
Another narration states that they said: “He (Rasulullah ) was pleased
with him (Abu Bakr ) for our spiritual affairs, so why shouldn’t we be
pleased with him for our worldly affairs?”
On saying this, both of them pledged their allegiance to Abu Bakr .
Abu Bakr  excused Ali  and Zubayr  and said to them: “I
take an oath by Allah that I did not have the least desire for leadership. Neither did
I have any inclination towards it in my heart, nor did I ask Allah for it in secrecy or
in public. However, I feared that if I delayed the matter till your arrival, there
would be some rebellion.”
After the demise of Faatimah , Ali  sent a message to Abu Bakr
 to visit him at his house but that he should not bring anyone else with him.
This was a reference to ‘Umar  because he was quite strict while Abu Bakr
 was lenient. When ‘Umar  heard about this, he said to Abu Bakr
: “By Allah, you should not go alone.” Abu Bakr  replied: “By Allah, I
will certainly go. I do not expect him to do anything to me.” When Abu Bakr
 went there, Ali  praised and glorified Allah Ta’ala and then said:
“We are fully aware of your virtue and merit and whatever Allah Ta’ala bestowed
to you. We are not envious of the good and honour which Allah bestowed to you (i.e.
the caliphate). However, our complaint is that the caliphate was decided upon
without consulting us. We felt that because of our closeness to Rasulullah
, we should have also been consulted.” Ali  continued speaking in
this vein until tears began flowing from Abu Bakr’s  eyes.
When Abu Bakr  began speaking, he said:
“I take an oath by that Being in whose control is my life that the family ties of
Rasulullah  are more beloved to me than my own family ties. As for the
dispute that took place between me and you with regard to the wealth of Fadak, I
did not display any shortcoming in doing good and what was best and I did not
abandon the way of Rasulullah  in this regard in the least. (I distributed
this wealth as Rasulullah  would have done).”
Ali  said to Abu Bakr : “I make a promise that I will present

myself in the afternoon in order to pledge my allegiance to you.”
After performing the Zuhr Salaah, Abu Bakr  climbed the mimbar
and spoke about the matter concerning Ali , his delay in pledging
allegiance and his reason for it. He then sought forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala
and came down. Ali  then stood up and spoke about the merits and rights
of Abu Bakr . He stated that what he did was not out of envy towards
Abu Bakr  nor rejection of the bounty (caliphate) which Allah bestowed
him with. His only complaint was that he was not consulted when he should
have been. The Muslims became very pleased with what they heard and said:
“You have spoken well.”
In the light of all these Ahaadith it becomes absolutely clear that Ali 
had no doubt whatsoever as regards the superiority and eligibility of Abu Bakr
 for the caliphate, nor did he harbour any jealousy or envy towards his
caliphate. He pledged his allegiance to Abu Bakr  happily and readily. His
complaint that he had against Abu Bakr  was actually based on his love
for him. A person does not have complaints for outsiders. In fact, this Hadith
shows that Ali’s  heart was filled with love for Abu Bakr  and that
Chapter 30 595
he had no doubt whatsoever concerning the superiority of Abu Bakr .

Distancing himself from the pledge was in no way because of jealousy and
envy. Rather it was an affectionate and sincere complaint, and he did it out of
his gracefulness. It was not a real objection or protest.
Abu Bakr  did not go to the Saqeefah to become the caliph. Rather, he
went to clear the misunderstanding between the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar. Even
when he reached there, he did not ask the people to pledge allegiance to him.
Rather, those who were present pledged their unanimous allegiance to him of their
own accord. Had he not accepted the pledge under such circumstances, it would
have probably resulted in rebellion. In such volatile and unstable circumstances, it
is not appropriate to ask why he did not call such and such person and why he did
not consult such and such person. When Abu Bakr  explained these reasons
to Ali , all his complaints were removed and he pledged his allegiance to Abu
Bakr  with his heart and life.
Abu Bakr’s  intention to give up the caliphate
Abu Bakr  had accepted the caliphate because he feared disunity and also
because the people had insisted that he accept it. However, it pained him for having
accepted this heavy responsibility. He therefore remained sad and dejected in his
house. When ‘Umar  went to Abu Bakr , he rebuked ‘Umar  and
complained to him by saying: “You are the one who placed me in this serious
position. It is very difficult to pass judgement among the people.” ‘Umar 
consoled him by saying: “Have you not heard the words of Rasulullah 
that when a ruler or judge uses all his faculties and abilities to pass judgement,
then when he passes his judgement, he will receive a single reward if he is wrong
in his judgement and a double reward if he is correct.” On hearing this, Abu Bakr
 felt a bit easier.
It is stated in one Hadith that after the pledge of allegiance, Abu Bakr 
remained in his house for three days. When he used to come to the Masjid, he
would climb the mimbar and say:
“O people! I am returning your pledge, so pledge your allegiance to whomever you
like.” On each occasion, Ali  would stand up and say: “By Allah, we will
neither remove you nor will we take back our pledge. Who can remove you when it
was Rasulullah  who put you forward?”
An interesting incident
When Rasulullah  passed away, ‘Amr ibn Aas  was either in
Bahrain or ‘Ammaan. The news reached him that the people (Muslims of Madinah)
rallied around Abu Bakr  and appointed him caliph. The people of that place
(Bahrain or ‘Ammaan) asked ‘Amr ibn Aas : “Who is this person around
whom the people rallied. Is he the son of your Prophet?” He replied: “No.” They
asked: “Is he his brother?” He replied: “No.” They asked: “Is he his closest relative?”
He replied: “No.” They asked: “Then who is he (that the people unanimously
elected him)?” He replied: “They appointed the best person amongst them and
made him their leader.” The people said: “They will continue experiencing good as
long as they continue in this manner.”
Chapter 31
The Pure Wives of Rasulullah 
The wives of Rasulullah  are the mothers to the believers in the honour
and respect that they deserve. Allah Ta’ala says:
ٌ ْ ۡ ْ ْ ْ ْ
‫ا\ي ﰲۡ ﻗﻠﺒ ٖﻪ ﻣﺮض‬ ‫ﻀﻌﻦ ﺑﺎﻟ ﻘ ْﻮل ﻓﻴﻄ ﻤﻊ‬ ‫ ﺴﺂء ان اﺗﻘ ۡﻴﺘﻦ ﻓﻼ ﺗﺨ‬U‫ﻛﺎﺣ ٍﺪ ﻣﻦ اﻟ‬ ‫ﺴﺂء اﻟﻨ ﻟ ْﺴﺘﻦ‬U‫ٰﻳ‬

ْ ْ ْ ْ ‫﴾ وﻗ ْﺮن ﰲۡ ﺑﻴ ۡﻮﺗﻜﻦ وﻻ ﺗﱪ‬۳۲ۚ ﴿ ‫و ﻗ ْﻠﻦ ﻗ ْﻮ ًﻻ ﻣ ْﻌﺮ ۡوﻓًﺎ‬
‫اﻟﺼﻠٰﻮ ة و‬ ‫ﱪج اﻟﺠﺎﻫﻠ ﻴﺔ اﻻ ۡو ٰ و اﻗﻤﻦ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﺟ‬

ْ ۡ ْ
ْ ‫ اﻧﻤﺎ ﻳﺮﻳ ۡﺪ اﷲ ﻟﻴﺬﻫﺐ ﻋ ۡﻨﻜﻢ اﻟﺮ‬MNu ٗ ‫ﻮة و اﻃ ْﻌﻦ اﷲ و رﺳ ۡﻮ‬Xٰ ‫ٰاﺗ ۡﲔ اﻟﺰ‬
‫ﻞ اﻟﺒ ۡﻴﺖ و‬ ‫ﻫ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ﺲ‬ ‫ﺟ‬

ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ
‫ﻛﺎن ﻟﻄ ۡﻴ ًﻔﺎ‬ ‫ ان اﷲ‬MN‫ﻜ ﻦ ﻣﻦ ٰا ٰﻳﺖ اﷲ و اﻟﺤﻜ ﻤﺔ‬ ۡ
‫ ﰲۡ ﺑﻴﻮﺗ‬¤ٰ ‫ﻛ ْﺮ ن ﻣﺎ ﻳ ﺘ‬ ‫﴾ و اذ‬۳۳ۚ ﴿ ‫ﲑا‬ً ‫ ْﻢ ﺗﻄﻬ‬X ‫ﻳﻄ ﻬﺮ‬

ۡ
ً ‫ﺧﺒ‬
﴾ ۳۴٪ ﴿ ‫ﲑا‬
“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any of the other women provided you fear
(Allah). Therefore do not be too soft in speech lest he in whose heart is a disease
should be moved with desire. But speak in an honourable manner. Remain in your
homes and do not display yourselves as was the custom of displaying in the former
days of ignorance. Establish the Salaah and continue giving the zakaah, and
remain in the obedience of Allah and His Messenger. Allah only wants to remove
loathsome things from you, O family of the Prophet, and to completely purify you.
Remember what is recited in your homes of Allah’s words and of wisdom. Surely
Allah knows the subtleties, all-aware.” [Surah Ahzaab, verses 32-34]
Since they have been given this title of Mothers of the believers, it is absolutely
prohibited to marry them after the demise of Rasulullah . Allah Ta’ala
says:
597
ۡ ٰ ‫ ان‬M ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪه ۤ اﺑ ًﺪا‬H ‫ﻮا ا ْزواﺟ ٗﻪ ﻣ‬ ۤۡ ۡ ۡ ۤ ْ ۡ

‫ﻛﺎن ﻋﻨ ﺪ‬ ْ ‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﻟ‬‫ذ‬ ٖ ‫ﺤ‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ان ﺗﺆذ ۡوا رﺳ ۡﻮ ل اﷲ و ﻻ ان ﺗ‬ ‫ﺎن ﻟ‬‫وﻣﺎ ﻛ‬

ْ ۡ
﴾۵۴﴿ ‫¡ ٍء ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﻞ‬
‫ﻜ‬
‫ﻛﺎن ﺑ‬
‫﴾ ان ﺗ ْﺒ ﺪ ۡوا ﺷ ۡﻴ ًﺌﺎ ا ْو ﺗﺨ ﻔ ۡﻮه ﻓﺎ ن اﷲ‬۵۳﴿ ‫اﷲ ﻋﻈ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬

“It does not behove you to hurt the Messenger of Allah, nor to ever marry his wives
after him. Surely this act of yours is a major sin in the sight of Allah. If you say
anything openly or conceal it, Allah has knowledge of everything.”
[Surah Ahzaab, verses 53-54]
Any self-respecting and self-honouring person will feel hurt to imagine his wife
going to someone else after he has departed from this world. Can there be anyone
more self-respecting and self-honouring in this entire world than Rasulullah
? Moreover, since they have been given the title of “Mothers of the
believers”, it is against their lofty status and position to enter into any other
marriage. To marry your father’s wife is both rationally and traditionally
despicable. Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ ٗ ْ ۡ
‫ وﺳﺂء‬MN‫ﻛﺎن ﻓﺎﺣ ﺸ ًﺔ وﻣﻘ ًﺘﺎ‬
‫ اﻧﻪ‬MN‫ﻒ‬
‫ ﺴﺂء ا ﻻ ﻣﺎ ﻗﺪ ﺳ ﻠ‬U‫ﻛ ۡﻢ ﻣﻦ اﻟ‬
‫ﻜﺢ ٰاﺑﺂ ؤ‬ ‫ﺤ ۡﻮا ﻣﺎ ﻧ‬
‫و ﻻ ﺗﻨﻜ‬

ً ۡ
﴾Â۲۲﴿ ‫ﺳﺒﻴﻼ‬

“Do not marry the women whom your fathers had married, except what has already
passed. This is an indecency, and a disgusting act, and an evil way.”
[Surah Nisaa’, verse 22]
The number of Rasulullah’s  wives and the order in

which he married them
Rasulullah  had 11 wives, two of whom had passed away in his very life:
Khadijah  and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah . Rasulullah  had
nine wives at the time of his demise.
Abu Sa’eed Khudri  narrates that Rasulullah  said: “I did not
marry any of my wives nor did I get any of my daughters married except by
revelation from my Rabb which was brought to me by Jibraa’eel .”
Ummul-Mu’mineen Khadijah 
Khadijah  is unanimously accepted as the first wife of Rasulullah .

She is also unanimously accepted as the first Muslim – no male or female preceded
her in embracing Islam. She was from the Quraysh tribe. Her father’s name was
Khuwaylid and her mother’s name was Faatimah bint Zaa’idah. Her lineage is as
Chapter 31 599
follows: Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ibn Asd ibn ‘Abd al-’Uzza ibn Qusayy. Her
lineage meets with that of Rasulullah  at Qusayy.
Since she was free from the customs and habits of jaahiliyyah, she was
popularly referred to as Taahirah (the pure one) even before Rasulullah’s 
commission as a Prophet.
Her first marriage was with Abu Haalah ibn Zuraarah Tameemi. From this
marriage, she had two sons by the name of Hind and Haalah. Both these children
embraced Islam and are therefore Sahaabah . Hind ibn Abi Haalah 
was very eloquent in his speech. The detailed Hadith with regard to the physical
description of Rasulullah  is by and large narrated by him.
When Abu Haalah passed away, Khadijah  married ‘Ateeq ibn ‘Aa’idh
Makhzumi from whom she had a daughter by the name of Hind. She also embraced
Islam and is blessed with being among the Sahaabiyaat. However, there are no
Ahaadith narrated from her. After some time, ‘Ateeq also passed away and
Khadijah  remained a widow.
Nafisah bint Munibah narrates that Khadijah  was a very noble and
wealthy woman. When she became a widow, every nobleman from the Quraysh
desired to marry her. However, when Rasulullah  went on a trade
journey with her goods and returned with immense profits, she became inclined
towards him. She sent a message to him asking him what was stopping him from
getting married. Rasulullah  replied: “I do not possess anything.” She
asked him: “If this concern of yours is taken care of, and you are invited towards a
woman who has wealth, beauty and compatibility, then do you still have any
excuse?” Rasulullah  asked: “Who is that woman?” She replied:
“Khadijah.” Rasulullah  accepted this proposal.
The actual reason is that the closer the time for Rasulullah’s 
commission as a Prophet came, the more miracles of his prophet-hood were
demonstrated. This used to happen through the statements of the ‘Ulama’ of the
Taurah and Injeel, by the statements of astrologers, or through unseen voices.
When any scholar of the Taurah or Injeel set eyes on him, he would immediately
say: “This young man is going to be the final Prophet whose glad tidings were
given by Musa  and ‘Isa .”
Khadijah  had full knowledge of these incidents. She had heard from her
slave, Maysarah, the incidents that took place with Rasulullah  on the
journey to Syria and the story of a monk. She had heard about Buhayra, the monk.
Her cousin, Waraqah ibn Naufal, was an eminent scholar of the Taurah and Injeel.
He was awaiting the dawn of the last Prophet. Bearing in mind all these incidents,
Khadijah’s  heart desired to marry Rasulullah . Coincidentally, an
incident occurred that in one of the festivals of Jaahiliyyah, the women of Makkah
gathered. Khadijah  was also among them. She suddenly saw a person
appearing and announcing in a loud voice:
“There is going to be a Prophet in your city. His name will be Ahmad. Whoever
among you can become his wife should do so. On hearing this, all the women pelted
him with stones, except Khadijah. She remained silent.”
Khadijah’s  heart was already filled with hopes and desires of having this
wonderful opportunity of being his wife. After hearing this announcement, the fire
of her hopes began burning even more.
When her slave, Maysarah, returned from the journey to Syria and related the
incidents that took place, and also the conversation with Nastoora, the monk, she
said: “If what the Jewish astrologer said is true, then it can be no one but him
(Muhammad ).”
We learn from this that the women’s assembly at that festival took place
before the return of Maysarah. Khadijah  was not merely given the name
Taahirah by chance, rather it was from Allah Ta’ala that He instilled this name in
the minds of the people so that her purity and chastity may become well known.
This is similar to Rasulullah  being given the title of Ameen – the
trustworthy, so that his trustworthiness and credibility may be an accepted fact,
and no one may have any reason to doubt. It is for such occasions that it is said
that the utterances of people should be considered to be the kettle-drum of Allah
Ta’ala. Khadijah  was the Maryam  of her time. She therefore received
a special share of the purity and chastity of Maryam , when Allah Ta’ala
says in the Qur-aan:
ۡ ْ
‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ٰ ‫ `ﺴﺂء اﻟ‬¤ٰ ‫اﺻﻄ ٰﻔﻚ ﻋ‬
‫ﻌ‬ ْ ‫وﻃﻬﺮك و‬

“He purified you and chose you over the women of the worlds.”
Khadijah  got a share of this and was given the name Taahirah. It is now
obvious that such a pure and chaste woman will naturally be inclined towards a
person who is pure and chaste. Allah Ta’ala correctly said, and who can be more
correct than Him? Allah Ta’ala says:
‫ﻠﻄ ﻴ ٰﺒﺖ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ن‬‫ﻮ‬ۡ ‫اﻟﻄﻴ ٰﺒﺖ ﻟﻠﻄﻴﺒ ۡﲔ و اﻟﻄﻴﺒ‬

“The pure females are for the pure males, and the pure males are for the pure
females.”
Everyone is aware that prophet-hood and Messenger-ship is not any kingship. It
has nothing to do with the luxuries and comforts of this world. There is no way
that dirhams and dinaars can remain in the house of a Prophet, unless it remains
for a little while in wait for a person asking a loan. Weeks and months go by
without the fire-place being lit. Nights pass without any light being lit. It is also a
known fact that the love for wealth, riches, comforts, luxuries, jewellery, etc. are in
Chapter 31 601
the nature of women. Despite this and despite the fact that all the noblemen and
wealthy people of Makkah desired to marry Khadijah , she inclined towards
Muhammad . This is clear proof of her purity and chastity. From this, we
can also gauge the high understanding and foresight of Khadijah . To desire
the marriage of a Prophet and a Messenger is not the work of an ordinary mind. It
is only deep intelligence and foresight that can prepare one for such a desire.
Intelligence demands that in order to enter into a marriage with a Prophet, the
woman must be prepared to wash her hands off from this world. She must be
prepared to cover herself with the blankets of poverty. The desire to marry a
Prophet is synonymous to desiring poverty. It is synonymous to inviting difficulties
and hardships.
Khadijah  fully considered all these factors and understood everything
fully well and then made the first move of proposing to Rasulullah . In so
doing, she dashed all the hopes of the noblemen of Makkah. How could that blessed
lady who had already resolved to shun the world ever bother to look at the slaves
of this world? When she had no concern for wealth, why should she have any
concern for the wealthy? How could the wealth and prosperity of a prosperous
person ever incline this woman toward him? This noble woman who is prepared to
sacrifice her own wealth for the cause of Allah Ta’ala!
Rasulullah  consulted his kind uncle, Abu Taalib, and accepted her
proposal. Her father Khuwaylid, had already passed away. However, her uncle
‘Umar ibn Asad, was alive at that time and he attended the marriage.
On the appointed date, Abu Taalib together with other members of the family
including Hamzah, went to the house of Khadijah  and the marriage rites
were performed. Abu Taalib read the marriage sermon and the dowry was set at
500 dirhams.
Khadijah  was 40 years old at that time while Rasulullah  was
25 years old. Waraqah ibn Naufal was also present for the marriage. When Abu
Taalib completed his sermon, Waraqah ibn Naufal delivered a short speech.
Some Traditions state that after the offer and acceptance of the proposal,
Khadijah  had a cow slaughtered; food was cooked and fed to the guests.
The initial stage of Khadijah’s  hope and wish was fulfilled. The
destination (i.e. Rasulullah’s  commission as a Prophet) was still at a
distance. The discomfort and unease at waiting for this remained with her. On one
occasion, Rasulullah  went to Khadijah . On seeing him, she
immediately embraced him and hugged him to her bosom. She then said:
“May my father and mother be sacrificed for you. I am not doing this for any
ulterior motive. Rather it is my wish that you will be the Prophet who is soon to be
commissioned. If you are commissioned, you may remember my right and position.
You should also make dua for me to the God who will commission you. Rasulullah
 said: ‘I take an oath by Allah that if I am made that Prophet, I will never
forget the kindness you showed to me, and if someone else is made a Prophet, you
should understand that the God for whom you are doing this will never let your
deeds go to waste.’”
Zubayr ibn Bakkaar narrates that Khadijah  used to go repeatedly to
Waraqah ibn Naufal and inquire about Rasulullah . He would reply:
‫ نب هذه المة الي بش به موس وعيس‬O‫ما أراه إ‬

“I am sure that he is the Prophet of this nation whose glad tidings Musa and ‘Isa
gave.”
A Hadith states that on one occasion, Khadijah  went to Waraqah and
related something about Rasulullah  to him. In reply, Waraqah said a
poem. A part of it is as follows:
‫وما لا بف الغيب من خب‬ ‫هذه خدية تأتين لخبها‬
‫جبيل أنك مبعوث إ¯ الـش‬ ‫بأن أحد يأتيه فيخبه‬

“This Khadijah comes to me again and again so that I may inform her, but I do not
have knowledge of the unseen that Jibraa’eel  will come to Ahmad and
inform him saying: ‘You are commissioned (as a Prophet) to mankind.’”
‫ ل فرج الي وانتظري‬O‫لك إ‬ َّ ‫فقلت‬

‫< الي ترجي ينجزه‬
“I said to her: It is not far fetched to assume that what you are hoping for, Allah will
certainly cause it to take place. You should therefore place your hopes in Allah and
remain waiting.”
Children
It was from Khadijah  that Rasulullah’s  four daughters were born:
Zaynab , Ruqayyah , Umme Kulsoom  and Faatimah .
Two sons were also born from her. Details in this regard will be given in the next
chapter, Insha Allah. The sons passed away at a very young age. However, the
daughters lived, grew up and also married.
Demise
As long as Khadijah  remained alive, Rasulullah  did not enter into
any other marriage. She passed away 10 years after prophet-hood in Makkah (or
Chapter 31 603
three years before the emigration to Madinah). She was buried in Hajun. Rasulullah
 personally lowered her into her grave. The Janaazah Salaah was not
prescribed at that time. She remained in the marriage of Rasulullah  for
25 years. She passed away at the age of 65.
َ
َ ِ‫له‬
ِ
Virtues and merits

Abu Hurayrah  narrates that on one occasion, Jibraa’eel  came to
Rasulullah  and said: “O Messenger of Allah! This Khadijah is about to
bring some food to you. When she does so, convey her Rabb’s Salaams (greetings of
peace) to her and my Salaams to her as well. Give her glad tidings of a palace in
Jannah. This palace will be made of a single pearl. There will be no noise in this
palace nor any hardships and difficulties.”
On hearing the above, Khadijah  said:
“Surely Allah Ta’ala is As-Salaam (the giver of peace) Himself. Peace be on
Jibraa’eel, the mercy of Allah and His blessings also.” Ibnus Sunni adds from
another chain of narrators: “And peace be on all those who hear this Salaam, except
for shaytaan.”
For Allah Ta’ala to convey His Salaam to someone is a virtue and merit that is
enjoyed by none other than Khadijah . No one shares with her in this merit.
The ‘Ulama are unanimous that the most superior women are the following
three: Khadijah , Faatimah  and Aa’ishah .
Ummul-Mu’mineen Saudah bint Zam‘ah 
A few days after the death of Khadijah , Saudah  came into the
marriage of Rasulullah . She was also from the noblewomen of the
Quraysh. Her lineage is Saudah bint Zam‘ah ibn Qays ibn ‘Abd Shams ibn ‘Abdud
ibn Nasr ibn Maalik ibn Hasl ibn ‘Aamir ibn Lu’ayy.
On reaching Lu’ayy ibn Ghaalib, her lineage meets with that of Rasulullah
. Her mother’s name was Shamus bint Qays ibn ‘Amr ibn Zaid. She was
from the Ansaar and the Banu Najjaar tribe. She embraced Islam at the beginning.
Her first marriage was with her cousin, Sukraan ibn ‘Amr. When the Sahaabah
 went on the second emigration to Abyssinia, Saudah  and her
husband, Sukraan also migrated. When they were returning to Makkah, Sukraan
passed away. They had one son by the name of ‘Abdur Rahmaan. He also
embraced Islam and was martyred in the battle of Jalula.
Rasulullah  was extremely grief-stricken by the death of Khadijah
. Khaulah bint Hakeem  came to him one day and said to him: “O
Messenger of Allah! I see you grief-stricken by the absence of Khadijah.” He
replied: “Yes, she was the one who took care of all the children and saw to the
running of the house.” Khaulah  asked: “Should I not send a proposal on
your behalf?” Rasulullah  replied: “It is the appropriate thing to do.
Women are more suited for such a task. Where do you intend sending a proposal?”
Khaulah  replied: “If you desire a virgin wife, then you could marry the
daughter of the most beloved person to you, Aa’ishah, the daughter of Abu Bakr.
And if you desire a widow, Saudah bint Zam‘ah is available. She brought Imaan in
you and follows you.” Rasulullah  said: “Send a proposal to both places.”
Khaulah  first went to Saudah and said to her: “Rasulullah  sent
me with his proposal.” She replied: “I have no reason to say no, but you should
speak to my father. Greet him in the jaahili way.” Khaulah  says: “I went to
him and greeted him by saying: ‘Good morning’. He asked: ‘Who is this?’ I replied:
‘I am Khaulah.’ He welcomed me and asked: ‘What is the reason for your visit?’
She replied: ‘I have come to you with the proposal of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib for your daughter.’ On hearing this, he said: ‘Without doubt
he is a noble and suitable person. But I do not know what Saudah has to say about
this.’ I said: ‘She is also ready.’ Rasulullah  thereafter went and the
marriage was solemnised.”
When ‘Abdullah ibn Zam‘ah, the brother of Saudah  heard about this
marriage, he placed dust on his head (to display his disapproval). Later when he
embraced Islam, he regretted this action of his. Whenever he thought about this, he
would say: “I was extremely immature on that day when I placed dust on my head
on hearing of my sister’s marriage to Rasulullah .”
Since the marriage of Saudah  and Aa’ishah  took place at almost
the same time, the historians differ as to which marriage took place first. The
correct and preferred opinion is that Saudah’s  marriage took place first. The
dowry was fixed at 400 dirhams.
On one occasion, Rasulullah  intended divorcing Saudah . She
said to Rasulullah : “O Rasulullah ! Keep me in your marriage.
It is my desire that I be raised among your wives on the day of Qiyaamah. Since I
am aged, I will give my turn to Aa’ishah.” Rasulullah  accepted this. It is
learnt from some Ahaadith that he had already divorced her and revoked the
divorce later on. Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Chapter 31 605
Saudah  was tall and quite heavily built. She had a humorous nature
and used to make Rasulullah  laugh at times. She passed away in Zul
Hijjah 23 A.H. towards the end of the caliphate of ‘Umar .
Ummul-Mu’mineen Aa’ishah Siddeeqah 
‘Aa’ishah  is the daughter of Abu Bakr . Her mother’s name was

Zaynab with the title of Umme Rumaan. Aa’ishah  did not have any children
of her own. However, she was given the title of Umme ‘Abdillah due to her
nephew, ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr . Rasulullah  married her after or
with Saudah  in Shawwaal 10 A.H.
Khawlah bint Hakeem  conveyed the proposal on behalf of Rasulullah
. Abu Bakr  said: “Mut‘im ibn ‘Adiyy had sent a proposal for his
son, Jubayr, which I have already accepted.” Abu Bakr  was a person who
never went back on his promise. On saying this, he immediately went to the house
of Mut‘im and asked him: “What have you decided about the marriage?” Mut‘im’s
wife was also present. He therefore addressed her asking: “What is your opinion in
this regard?” She replied: “If my son were to marry your daughter, I have this
strong feeling that he will abandon his religion, give up the religion of his
forefathers and embrace your religion.” Abu Bakr  turned to Mut‘im and
asked him: “What do you have to say?” He replied: “You have already heard what
my wife has to say.” The tone in which Mut‘im and his wife spoke to him was a
clear indication to him that he no longer had to fulfil his promise. He returned to
his house and informed Khaulah  saying: “I accept Rasulullah’s 
proposal. He may come whenever he pleases.” Rasulullah  went over, the
marriage was solemnised and the dowry was set at 400 dirhams.
The marriage took place three years before the emigration to Madinah in the
month of Shawwaal in the 10th year of prophet-hood. Aa’ishah  was six
years old at that time. The marriage was consummated seven or eight months after
the emigration, also in the month of Shawwaal. She was nine years and a few
months old at that time. She remained in the marriage of Rasulullah  for
nine years. She was 18 years old when Rasulullah  passed away. She
remained alive for another 48 years and passed away in 57 A.H. in Madinah. In
accordance with her request, she was buried at night in Jannatul Baqi‘ (the
graveyard of Madinah).
Aa’ishah  was 66 years old at the time of her death. Abu Hurayrah
 performed the Janaazah Salaah. Qaasim ibn Muhammad, ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Abdur-Rahmaan, ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ‘Ateeq, ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr and ‘Abdullah ibn
Zubayr lowered her in her grave. (They were all her nephews).
We had related the Hadith of Abu Sa’eed Khudri  that Rasulullah

 did not marry any woman without first receiving divine revelation from
Allah Ta’ala via Jibraa’eel . This also happened in the case of Aa’ishah
. Abdullah ibn ‘Umar  narrates that Rasulullah  said:
“Jibraa’eel  came to me and informed me that Allah Ta’ala has performed
my marriage to Aa’ishah, the daughter of Abu Bakr. I was also shown an image of
Aa’ishah, informing me that this is my wife.”
Aa’ishah  was the daughter of Abu Bakr . She acquired a special
share of his understanding, insight, intelligence and trustworthiness. Umme
Rumaan was her mother. Rasulullah  said about her: “The person who
wants to see the Huris of Jannah, should look at Umme Rumaan.”
It was therefore the divine will of Allah Ta’ala that the daughter of
Rasulullah’s  most beloved companion be given to him in marriage and
placed under his training from a very young age. At such an age, the heart was
absolutely clean and pure. No falsehood was ever depicted on it. Her age was one
of innocence. At the same time, there was no falsehood or deception from the
father and mother. In fact, the father enjoys the title of Siddeeq (one who
perpetually treads the truth), he is the envy of the angels, he enjoys the constant
companionship of Allah Ta’ala. The mother is like a Huri of Jannah. On such a
clear and pure tablet, whatever mark of the knowledge of prophet-hood is made on
it will be so firmly embedded and so productive that it will never be wiped out.
Consequently, she acquired such in-depth and wide-ranging knowledge in a
period of nine years, that after the demise of Rasulullah , whenever the
senior Sahaabah  encountered any problems in understanding certain
matters, they would consult with Aa’ishah . Her knowledge, her expertise in
jurisprudence and her knowledge of history were all accepted during the era of the
Sahaabah . This was to such an extent that it has been said that one quarter
of the injuctions of the Shari‘ah have been narrated by her alone.
Abu Musa Ash’ari  says that whenever the Sahaabah 
encountered any problem in understanding any matter, they would consult
Aa’ishah  and they would certainly find a solution with her.
Knowledge
Imaam Zuhri  says that if the knowledge of Aa’ishah  was compared
with that of the rest of the wives of Rasulullah  and all the other women
of Islam, the knowledge of Aa’ishah  would surpass the rest.
Her eloquence in speech was such that Mu’aawiyah  says: “I have not
come across any speaker more eloquent than Aa’ishah.”
Chapter 31 607
She had deep knowledge of Arabic history and incidents. She knew many
poems by heart. When she had to say something, she would almost certainly quote
a poem in support of that.
Abstinence
The above were a few examples of her knowledge. The following is an example of
her abstinence. The fountain of all merits and virtues is two things: knowledge and
abstinence. Abstinence refers to severing ties with this world. Just as love for this
world is the root of all evil, abstinence from this world is the root of all good. O
Allah, make us abstinent in this world and bestow us the desire for the hereafter.
An example of her abstinence is as follows:
Umme Durrah used to frequent the house of Aa’ishah . Umme Durrah
narrates: On one occasion, ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr  sent two bundles of money
to Aa’ishah . The money amounted to approximately 180 000 dirhams.
Aa’ishah  immediately began distributing this money. By the evening, she
did not have a single dirham left. She was fasting. When the sun set, she asked her
servant to present some food. She brought some bread and olive oil. Umme Durrah
said to her: “Had you bought some meat for one dirham, it would have been good
for you.” Aa’ishah  replied: “Had you reminded me (when I had the money) I
would have bought it.”
‘Urwah  says: “I saw Aa’ishah  distributing 70 000 dirhams at a
time while she was wearing patched clothes.”
It was based on these qualities and merits that Rasulullah  loved her
the most. Had he loved her solely because she was his only virgin wife, he would
have certainly forgotten Khadijah . However, he used to constantly think of
Khadijah  and make mention of her. When he used to slaughter any animal,
he would certainly seek out the friends of Khadijah  and send some meat to
them. He did not marry any other woman as long as she was alive. On the other
hand, he married eight women while married to Aa’ishah . Allah forbid, if
Rasulullah  was marrying merely to fulfil his desires, he would never
have married widows. Umm Salamah  and Safiyyah  were more
beautiful than Aa’ishah . Rasulullah’s  object in entering into
several marriages was to teach the ummah the injunctions and rulings that are
related to women which may be easily conveyed by his wives. What were the pure
wives of Rasulullah ? They were actually students of a women’s school.
The men were taught in Masjid-e-Nabawi while the pure wives were taught at the
house of Rasulullah . These wives were to become teachers of the ummah
later on. Each one of them acquired knowledge in accordance with her capability.
However, Aa’ishah  surpassed all of them in her knowledge and merits. This
is the bounty of Allah Ta’ala which He gives to whoever He wills. It is for this
reason that she is considered to be the best woman after Faatimah  and
Khadijah .
These qualities and merits were naturally placed in the temperament of
Aa’ishah  by Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala then commanded His Messenger
 to take her into his marriage so that those natural qualities and merits
may come to the fore by staying with him and remaining under his tutelage. In this
way, the world may benefit from her knowledge. Eventually, this is what happened
– that the senior Sahaabah  benefited from her knowledge.
‘Umar , ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar , Abu Hurayrah , Abu Musa
Ash’ari  ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas  and other senior Sahaabah 
narrated from Aa’ishah . Senior Taabi‘een like Sa’eed ibn Musayyib, ‘Amr
ibn Maymun, ‘Alqamah ibn Qays, Masruq, ‘Abdullah ibn Hakeem, Aswad ibn
Yazeed, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan and others were her students.
Merits and virtues

1. Aa’ishah  narrates: “One day, Rasulullah  said to me: ‘O
Aa’ishah! Here is Jibraa’eel , he conveys Salaam to you.’ I replied:
‘Peace be on him, and also the mercy and blessings of Allah be on him.’ I then
said: ‘O Rasulullah ! You can see him while I cannot.’”
2. Abu Musa Ash’ari  narrates that Rasulullah  said: “There are
many men who reached great heights. However, from among the women, it is
only Maryam bint ‘Imraan and Aasiyah, the wife of Fir’aun, that have
reached great heights, and the merit of Aa’ishah over all other women is like
Sareed (meat and broth) over all other food.”
3. Aa’ishah  says: “I have been bestowed with certain qualities from Allah
Ta’ala. No woman apart from Maryam  has been bestowed with these
qualities. By Allah, I am not saying this out of pride. I am merely enumerating
the bounties and favours of Allah Ta’ala. They are:
• Rasulullah  did not marry any virgin woman apart from me.
• Before the marriage, the angels came down with an image of myself and
showed it to Rasulullah  saying: ‘This is your wife. Allah orders
you to marry her.’
• Rasulullah  used to love me the most.
• I am the daughter of the person who was most beloved to Rasulullah
, i.e, Abu Bakr .
Chapter 31 609
• Several verses in the Qur-aan were revealed proving my innocence. I was

created pure and unadulterated. I am living with a pure and unadulterated
person (Rasulullah ), and Allah Ta’ala promised my forgiveness
and noble sustenance.
• I saw Jibraa’eel . None of the other wives of Rasulullah 
saw Jibraa’eel .
• Jibraa’eel  would come with divine revelation to Rasulullah
 while I was lying down with Rasulullah  under the
same sheet. Jibraa’eel  did not come like this to any of the other
wives.
• I had two nights and two days with Rasulullah  while the other
wives had one night and one day. (Aa’ishah  had one night and one
day, which was her right. Later on, Saudah  gave her her turn
because Saudah  had become old).
• When Rasulullah  passed away, his head was in my lap.
• He was buried in my room.
Ummul-Mu’mineen Hafsah bint Umar 

Hafsah  is the daughter of ‘Umar ibn Khattaab . Her mother’s name is
Zaynab bint Maz’oon . Hafsah  was born five years before prophet-
hood at the time when the Quraysh were busy renovating the Ka‘bah. Her first
marriage was with Khunays ibn Hudhaafah Sahmi. She emigrated with her
husband to Madinah. He passed away after the Battle of Badr.
When Hafsah  was widowed, ‘Umar  went to ‘Usmaan  and
said: “If you wish, I will get Hafsah married to you.” ‘Usmaan  replied: “I will
think about the matter and inform you.” When I met him later on, ‘Usmaan 
excused himself and said that he does not intend marrying her. ‘Umar  says:
“I then went to Abu Bakr  and said to him: ‘If you wish, I will get Hafsah
married to you.’” Abu Bakr  remained silent and did not give any reply. I
was quite grieved by his response. A few days later Rasulullah  proposed
to her. I got Hafsah married to Rasulullah . Abu Bakr  met me after
that and said: ‘O ‘Umar! You are probably angry with me. The reason why I did not
give you any reply was that I knew that Rasulullah  was intending to
propose to her. I therefore remained silent and did not feel it appropriate to reveal
Rasulullah’s  secret. Had Rasulullah  not proposed to her, I
would have certainly accepted your offer.”
The preferred opinion is that Rasulullah  married Hafsah  in 3

A.H.
On one occasion, Rasulullah  divorced Hafsah . Jibraa’eel
 came down with the divine instruction saying:
‫ارجع حفصة فإنها صوامة قوامة وإنها زوجتك ف النة‬

“Take back Hafsah for she fasts a lot, prays a lot and she is your wife in Jannah.”
Hafsah  passed away in Madinah in Sha’baan 45 A.H. during the caliphate of
Mu’aawiyah . Marwaan ibn Hakam performed the Janaazah Salaah. She was
60 years old at the time of her death.
Ummul-Mu’mineen Zaynab bint Khuzaymah 

Her name was Zaynab, but because she was extremely generous even before Islam,
she was given the title Ummul-Masaakeen – the mother of the poor. Her father’s
name was Khuzaymah ibnul-Haaris Hilaali. Her first marriage was with ‘Abdullah
ibn Jahsh . He was martyred in 3 A.H. in the battle of Uhud. On the expiry of
her ‘iddah, Rasulullah  proposed to her. The dowry was set at 500
dirhams. Two or three months after the marriage, she passed away. Rasulullah
 personally performed the Janaazah Salaah and she was buried in
Jannatul Baqi‘. She was 30 years old at the time of her death.
Ummul-Mu’mineen Umme Salamah bint Abi Umayyah 

Umme Salamah was her title while her name was Hind. She was the daughter of
Abu Umayyah Qurashi Makhzumi. Her mother’s name was ‘Aatikah bint ‘Aamir
ibn Rabi’ah. Her first marriage was with her cousin, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad
Makhzumi. She embraced Islam together with her husband and also undertook the
first emigration to Abyssinia with him. On returning from there, she emigrated to
Madinah.
Abu Salamah  participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud. In the Battle
of Uhud, he injured his side. He had to treat it for about a month till it healed. In
the beginning of Muharram 4 A.H., Rasulullah  sent him at the head of a
small army. They returned after 29 days. On his return, his old wound resurfaced
and he eventually passed away on account of it on 8 Jumaadal-Ukhraa 4 A.H.
Umme Salamah  says: “One day, my husband, Abu Salamah came into
the house and said to me: ‘I have heard a Hadith from Rasulullah  which
is more beloved to me than this world and whatever it contains. The Hadith is:
‘When a person is afflicted by any calamity and he says:
Chapter 31 611
َ
‫ج ُع ۡون‬ َ ۡ َ َّ ّٰ َّ
ِ ‫ِ *نا إِلهِ را‬4 ‫إِنا‬
‘To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.’
And then reads the following dua:
ۡ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َّ ُ ّٰ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ّٰ َ
‫ي ّ ِمن َها‬
ٍ ‫اللهم عِندك أحتسِب م ِصيب ِت ه ِذه ِ اللهم اخلف ِن فِيها ِب‬
‘O Allah! It is in You that I place my hope for the reward for this calamity. O Allah!
Bestow me with something better in place of it.’
Then Allah will certainly bestow him with something far better.”
Umme Salamah  says: “I remembered this Hadith after the death of Abu
Salamah . When I began reciting this dua, I thought to myself, how will I get
someone better than Abu Salamah? However, since it was a teaching of Rasulullah
, I recited this dua. Consequently, the fruit of this dua was that after the
expiry of my ‘iddah, Rasulullah  proposed to me. There is nothing better
than this in this world.”
When Rasulullah  proposed to her, she offered the following
excuses:
• I am gone very old.
• I have children. These orphans are under my care.
• I am extremely jealous by nature.
Rasulullah  replied: “I am older than you. Your children are the children
of Allah and His Messenger. I will make dua to Allah Ta’ala to remove that
jealousy from you.”
Rasulullah  made dua for her and his dua was accepted.
Rasulullah  married her towards the end of Shawwaal 4 A.H. Anas
 narrates that Rasulullah  gave her some goods in dowry, the value
of which was 10 dirhams.
Rasulullah  also gave her a mattress which was filled with date
leaves, instead of wool. He also gave her a plate, a bowl and a mill-stone.
Demise
There is much difference with regard to the date of her death. The most preferred
opinion is that she passed away in 62 A.H. Umme Salamah  was the last to
pass away from the pure wives of Rasulullah .
Abu Hurayrah  performed the Janaazah Salaah. She was 84 years old at
the time.
She was lowered into her grave by her two sons from her previous marriage.
Their names were ‘Umar and Salamah. The following two people were also there to
lower her in her grave, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah and ‘Abdullah
ibn Wahb ibn Zam‘ah. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi‘. May Allah Ta’ala be
pleased with her and may He shower His mercy on her.
Virtues and merits

The virtues, merits, beauty, understanding, insight and intelligence of Umme
Salamah  were an accepted fact. At Hudaybiyah, Rasulullah  had
instructed the Sahaabah  to slaughter their sacrificial animals and shave
their heads. He issued this instruction three times but because they were so
overtaken by sorrow, they did not pay heed. When Umme Salamah  heard
about this, she said to Rasulullah : “O Rasulullah! These Companions are
overtaken by grief and sorrow by this peace treaty. Do not issue any verbal
instructions. Rather, slaughter your animal and shave your head.” No sooner had
Rasulullah  slaughtered his animal, the Sahaabah  rushed to
slaughter their own animals and then shaved their heads as well. This problem was
thus solved by the advice of Umme Salamah . May Allah Ta’ala reward her.
She was extremely beautiful. Aa’ishah  says: “When Rasulullah
 married her, I became extremely jealous of her because of her beauty
and good looks.”
Ummul-Mu’mineen Zaynab bint Jahsh 
Zaynab bint Jahsh  was the daughter of Rasulullah’s  paternal

aunt, Umaymah bint ‘Abdul Muttalib. In other words, she was his paternal cousin.
Before coming into the marriage of Rasulullah , she was married to
Rasulullah’s  adopted son and freed slave, Zaid ibn Haarisah .
Since there was no mutual compatibility, Zaid  divorced her. Zaid 
was a freed slave while Zaynab  was from a very distinguished family and
the cousin of Rasulullah . The Arabs considered it below their dignity to
marry freed slaves. Therefore, when Rasulullah  proposed to Zaynab
 on behalf of Zaid , Zaynab  and her brother both refused. The
following verse was revealed:
ْ ۡ ۤٗ ۡ ْ ْ
M ‫ اﻟﺨ ﲑة ﻣ ْﻦ ا ْﻣﺮﻫ ْﻢ‬$ ‫ﻜ ۡﻮن ﻟ‬ ‫ ا ْﻣ ًﺮا ان ﻳ‬u ‫ﻀﻲ اﷲ و ر ﺳﻮ‬ ‫ﺎن ﻟ ﻤﺆﻣ ٍﻦ و ﻻ ﻣﺆﻣ ﻨ ٍﺔ ا ذا ﻗ‬‫﴿ وﻣﺎ ﻛ‬

ً ْ ْ ۡ
﴾ ‫ﺿﻠٰﻼ ﻣﺒ ۡﻴ ًﻨﺎ‬
. ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﺿ‬ ‫ﺪ‬ ٗ ۡ
‫ ﻓ ﻘ‬u ‫و ﻣﻦ ﻳﻌﺺ اﷲ و ر ﺳﻮ‬
Chapter 31 613
“It does not behove a believing male nor a believing female that when Allah and His
Messenger issue an order, for them to have a choice of their own. Whoever disobeys
Allah and His Messenger has certainly gone clearly astray.”
The “believing male” in this verse specifically refers to ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh 
while the “believing female” refers to his sister, Zaynab . The verse means
that it is not permitted for a believing male and female not to accept a matter that
is decided by Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger .
After the revelation of this verse, they both accepted and Zaynab 
married Zaid  in accordance with the order of Allah Ta’ala. Although the
marriage took place, Zaid  remained contemptible and detestable in the sight
of Zaynab . There was therefore constant fighting and bickering in the
house. Zaid  complained regularly to Rasulullah  with regard to
Zaynab’s  lack of affection towards him and expressed his desire to leave
her. Rasulullah  would dissuade him from divorcing her, and say to him:
“You married her because of me. If you are going to leave her now, it will cause
you more disgrace, and I will feel ashamed in my own family.”
When these fights and arguments were mentioned to him repeatedly,
Rasulullah  concluded in his heart that if Zaid divorces her, there will be
no way of consoling her except by his personally marrying her. However,
Rasulullah  feared the bad thoughts and accusations of the ignorant ones
and the hypocrites, that they would say: “He has married his son’s wife and kept
her in his own house.” They would say this although an adopted son is certainly
not considered to be one’s own son. It was an old Arab custom that they considered
it a great blemish to marry the wife of one’s adopted son. It was the divine will of
Allah Ta’ala to break this old custom by the action of Rasulullah . Allah
Ta’ala informed him via divine revelation that when Zaid  divorces Zaynab
, she will come into his marriage. In so doing, the people will learn and
realise that the injunction that is applied to the wife of one’s own son is not
applicable to the wife of one’s adopted son.
In short, Rasulullah  was informed through revelation that Zaynab
 will come into his marriage. However, because he was afraid of the
accusations and insults of the mischief makers that he is marrying the wife of his
adopted son, he did not divulge this information to anyone. He left it concealed in
his heart and thought to himself that these words of Allah Ta’ala are totally true.
They will certainly be realised at the appropriate time. Furthermore, Allah Ta’ala
also did not order him to divulge this information at present. He therefore kept this
injunction in his heart, while he continued advising Zaid  not to divorce
Zaynab . This is also the order of the Shari‘ah that the husband should
always be advised not to divorce his wife, that he should exercise patience over the
lack of interest of the wife. If anyone learns, through revelation or inspiration, that
this is going to happen in the future and that fate and destiny have already decided
that this is going to happen, then he will have to follow the order of the Shari‘ah at
present. Fate and destiny will automatically bring to fruition whatever is supposed
to be brought to fruition.
Eventualy, Zaid  came to Rasulullah  and said: “O Messenger
of Allah! I have become totally fed up and therefore issued a divorce to Zaynab.”
Rasulullah  remained silent.
Anas  narrates that when the ‘iddah of Zaynab  expired,
Rasulullah  instructed Zaid  to go personally to Zaynab  and
convey a proposal of marriage on behalf of Rasulullah  (so that it may
become clear that whatever happened, happened with the approval of Zaid ).
Zaid  took this proposal of Rasulullah  and went to the house of
Zaynab . He turned his back towards the door and stood there (although the
order of Hijaab was not yet revealed. This was the high level of Zaid’s  piety
and devoutness.) He then said: “O Zaynab! Rasulullah  has sent me with
his proposal of marrying you.” She replied: “I cannot comment until I have
consulted with Allah Ta’ala.” She immediately got up, went to a corner where she
used to offer her Salaah and engaged in istikhaarah.
Zaynab  did not consult any creation. She desired the counsel of Allah
Ta’ala alone and asked Him for goodness because He alone is the true protector of
the believers. Allah Ta’ala therefore, through His special protection, performed the
marriage of Zaynab  with Rasulullah  in the heavens, in the
presence of the angels. This announcement was made in the heavens. The need was
to announce this on earth as well. Jibraa’eel  came down with this verse:
ْ ْ ٌۡ ٰ
‫ﻓ ﻠ ﻤﺎ ﻗﻀﻲ زﻳﺪ ﻣﻨ ﻬﺎ و ﻃ ًﺮا ز وﺟ ٰﻨ‬
‫ﻜ ﻬﺎ‬
“When Zaid accomplished his purpose with her, We got her married to you.”
[Surah Ahzaab, verse 37]
Rasulullah  then went to the house of Zaynab  and entered
without seeking permission (because she was now his wife).
One Hadith states that Rasulullah  was in the house of Aa’ishah
 when this verse was revealed. Rasulullah  smiled and turned
towards the Sahaabah  saying, “Who is it who will go to Zaynab and give
her these glad tidings.” Rasulullah  recited the following verse to them:
ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۤۡ ْ
ۡ‫ﻲ ﰲ‬ ۡ ‫ﺨﻔ‬
‫ﻚ واﺗﻖ اﷲ وﺗ‬ ‫ﺟ‬‫ي اﻧﻌﻢ اﷲ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ و اﻧﻌﻤﺖ ﻋ ﻠ ۡﻴﻪ ا ْﻣﺴﻚ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴﻚ ز ْو‬ ¹ ‫و اذ ﺗ ﻘ ۡﻮ ل ﻟ‬

ْ ٌۡ ٰ ٰ ْ ۡ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
‫ ﻓ ﻠ ﻤﺎ ﻗﻀﻲ زﻳﺪ ﻣﻨ ﻬﺎ و ﻃ ًﺮا‬MN‫ و اﷲ اﺣ ﻖ ان ﺗﺨﺸ ﻪ‬N‫اﻟﻨﺎس‬ ‫ﻚ ﻣﺎ اﷲ ﻣﺒﺪﻳﻪ و ﺗﺨ ﺸﻲ‬ ‫ﻧﻔﺴ‬

Chapter 31 615
ْ
MN‫ﻀ ْﻮا ﻣﻨ ﻬ ﻦ و ﻃ ًﺮا‬ ْ ‫ اﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ ﺣﺮ ٌج ﰲۡ ۤ ا ْزواج ا ْدﻋﻴﺂ‬¤‫ﻲ ﻻ ﻳﻜ ۡﻮن ﻋ‬
‫ ا ذا ﻗ‬$ ۡ ‫ﻜﻬﺎ ﻟ‬ ٰ ْ
‫ﻜ‬ ‫ز وﺟﻨ‬

ً ْ
﴾۳۷﴿ ‫ﻛﺎن ا ْﻣﺮ اﷲ ﻣﻔﻌ ۡﻮﻻ‬ ‫و‬

“When you said to him upon whom Allah had shown favour and upon whom you
had shown favour: ‘Keep your wife to yourself and fear Allah.’ And you were
concealing in your heart something which Allah wants to reveal, and you were
fearing the people, whereas you ought to fear Allah more. When Zaid accomplished
his purpose with that woman, We gave her to you in marriage so that there may be
no sin on the believers in marrying the wives of their adopted sons once they have
accomplished their purpose with them. And Allah’s command must be fulfilled.”
[Surah Ahzaab, verse 37]
Aa’ishah  says: “When Rasulullah  recited this verse, I thought to
myself that first of all Zaynab is so beautiful. However, she will now further boast
that Allah Ta’ala performed her marriage in the heavens.”
Rasulullah  first sent a messenger to Zaynab  informing her
that Allah Ta’ala had revealed these verses with regard to her marriage. When this
news reached her, she immediately fell into a sajdah of gratitude.
Since the divine order and revelation had reached Zaynab , Rasulullah
 went into her house without seeking permission. The divine
announcement of this marriage, her acceptance of it after Rasulullah 
conveyed the message to her, her falling into sajdah and the fact that this proposal
had been conveyed previously by Zaid , are all matters that are more than
what actually takes place in a marriage. After entering her house, Rasulullah
 asked her: “What is your name?” Her original name was Barrah. She
therefore replied: “My name is Barrah.” Rasulullah  decided to call her
Zaynab instead.
After this incident, the hypocrites began making accusations and said: “On one
hand, the Messenger says that it is unlawful to marry your son’s wives, while he
himself is marrying the wife of his son (daughter-in-law).” Allah Ta’ala provides
the following reply to these hypocrites:
ۡ ‫ﻞ‬
‫¡ ٍء‬ ‫ﻜ‬ ‫ﺑ‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﺎن‬‫ﻛ‬ ‫و‬ M ‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﺒ‬ ‫اﻟﻨ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺎﺗ‬‫ﺧ‬ ‫و‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ۡ ‫ﻦ رﺳ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻣﺤﻤ ٌﺪ اﺑﺎ ۤ اﺣﺪ ﻣ‬
ۡ ‫ﻦ رﺟﺎﻟﻜ ْﻢ وﻟٰﻜ‬
ٍ
ٖ

‫ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ ًﻤﺎ‬

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men. Rather, he is the Messenger of
Allah and the seal of Prophets. And Allah is aware of everything.”
[Surah Ahzaab: verse, 40]
Date of the marriage

Zaynab  came into the marriage of Rasulullah  in 4 A.H. while
others say it was in 5 A.H. She was 35 years old at the time of her marriage. The
dowry was stipulated as 400 dirhams.
Walimah
Since this marriage took place under the special supervision of Allah Ta’ala and
then specific verses concerning it were revealed, Rasulullah  gave special
attention to the walimah (marriage feast) for this marriage. Anas  says that
Rasulullah  did not pay as much attention to the walimah of any wife as
he paid for his marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh . He slaughtered a sheep and
invited the people. He fed them meat and bread which they all ate to their fill. The
people left after eating. However, three people remained seated and continued
talking. Due to his extreme bashfulness, Rasulullah  did not ask them to
leave. However, he got up from there so that these people will get the message (that
they should leave). Rasulullah  went to the room of Aa’ishah  who
congratulated him on the occasion of his marriage. He then went to the other wives
and greeted them. In the meantime, these verses were revealed:
ٰ ‫ﺎم ﻏ ۡﲑ ٰﻧﻈﺮﻳۡﻦ ا‬ ْ ۡ ۤ ْ
‫ وﻟٰﻜ ْﻦ‬º ‫»ﻪ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ٍ ‫ﻌ‬ ‫ﻃ‬
ٰ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ ا‬
‫ﻟ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ذ‬
‫ﺆ‬ ‫اﻟﻨ ا ﻻ ان ﻳ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ﺧﻠ ۡﻮا ﺑﻴ ۡﻮ‬
‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ٰاﻣ ﻨ ۡﻮا ﻻ ﺗﺪ‬ ‫ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ‬

ْ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ‫اذا دﻋ ۡﻴﺘ ْﻢ ﻓ‬
‫اﻟﻨ‬
‫ﻛﺎن ﻳﺆذي‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ‬
‫ ا ن ذﻟ‬M ‫ﺚ‬ ٍ ‫ﺤﺪﻳ‬ ‫ﲔﻟ‬ ‫ﺸﺮ ۡوا و ﻻ ﻣ ْﺴﺘﺎ`ﺴ‬Í‫ﺧﻠ ۡﻮا ﻓﺎ ذا ﻃﻌﻤﺘ ْﻢ ﻓﺎﻧ‬ ‫ﺎد‬

ۡ ‫ﺎﻋﺎ ﻓ ْﺴـﻠ ۡﻮﻫﻦ ﻣ‬ ْ ْ ْ ْ ۡ ْ ْ
‫ﻦ ورآء‬ ً ‫ و اذا ﺳﺎﻟﺘﻤ ۡﻮﻫﻦ ﻣﺘ‬M ‫ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺤ ﻖ‬ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ واﷲ ﻻ ﺴﺘ‬ ‫ ﻣﻨ‬
ٖ ٖ ‫ﻓ'ﺴ ﺘ‬
MN‫ ٰذﻟ ﻜ ْﻢ ا ْﻃ ﻬ ﺮ ﻟ ﻘﻠ ۡﻮﺑ ﻜ ْﻢ و ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑﻬ ﻦ‬M ‫ﺎب‬

ٍ ‫ﺠ‬
‫ﺣ‬
“O believers! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted
to a meal and not (so early as) to see its preparation. But when you are invited, then
go. Once you have eaten, disperse without lingering for idle talk. Surely this would
cause harm to the Prophet and he might feel shy of (asking) you (to leave). Allah is
not shy of saying the truth. When you go to ask his wives anything that you need,
ask them from behind a screen. In this there is great purity for your hearts and
their hearts.” [Surah Ahzaab, verse 53]
Chapter 31 617
Virtues and merits

Zaynab  used to boast to the other wives of Rasulullah  that their
marriages were conducted by their relatives while her marriage was conducted by
Allah Ta’ala in the seven heavens.
In reality, this was not boasting and bragging. Rather, it was expressing the
bounties of Allah Ta’ala. Her extreme happiness and love for Allah Ta’ala caused
her to express this bounty and favour of Allah Ta’ala. It is for this reason that
Rasulullah  would also hear her mentioning this but he would remain
silent.
Zaynab  used to say to Rasulullah : “O Messenger of Allah! I
have three reasons to be proud of you: (1) My grandfather and your grandfather is
the same person, i.e. ‘Abdul Muttalib. Another Hadith states: “I am the daughter of
your paternal aunt.” This also conveys the same meaning. “(2) Allah Ta’ala
performed your marriage to me in the heavens. (3) Jibraa’eel  was the one
who made these arrangements.”
Aa’ishah  says: “Zaynab bint Jahsh  used to compare her position
and my position before Rasulullah . I have not come across a woman
more religious than Zaynab, more fearful of Allah, more truthful in speech, more
concerned about maintaining relationships, and more generous in charity, more
hardworking and giving the income thereof in charity and gaining the proximity of
Allah Ta’ala thereby.”
Piety
When the hypocrites accused Aa’ishah  of adultery (details of which were
given previously), Zaynab’s  sister, Hamnah bint Jahsh, in her naivety also
joined this accusation. However, when Rasulullah  asked Zaynab 
about Aa’ishah , she replied:
“O Rasulullah! I am safeguarding my ears and eyes. I take an oath by Allah I
do not know anything but good about Aa’ishah.”
In other words, if I have not seen something with my own eyes or heard with my
own ears, how can I utter it with my tongue? My knowledge and certainty about
her is nothing but good.
It is a well known fact that Aa’ishah  was her co-wife. She was also
fully aware that Aa’ishah  was the most beloved wife of Rasulullah
. Had she wanted, she could have said something that would have caused
Aa’ishah’s  status to fall in the sight of Rasulullah . However, her
excellent piety and faithfulness did not permit her to even remain silent. Instead,
she took an oath in the name of Allah Ta’ala and confined herself to just one short
sentence in order to emphasise her point. Aa’ishah  herself attests to the

piety and faithfulness of Zaynab :
ّٰ
‫ بالورع‬4‫فعصمها ا‬
“Allah Ta’ala protected her (from this tribulation) on account of her piety.”
Worship
Zaynab  had a special affinity with worship. She used to worship Allah
Ta’ala with extreme humility and humbleness. When Zaid  conveyed
Rasulullah’s  proposal to her, she immediately engaged in Istikhaarah
Salaah.
Maymunah  narrates that on one occasion Rasulullah  was
distributing some booty among the Muhaajireen when Zaynab  suddenly
began speaking. ‘Umar  hushed her. Rasulullah  said: “O ‘Umar!
Leave her alone, do not say anything to her, surely she is a woman who is an
awwaah - extremely soft-hearted in her worship of Allah Ta’ala.”
A person asked: “O Rasulullah! What is the meaning of awwaah?” Rasulullah
 replied: “It means a person who is very humble and unassuming.”
Rasulullah  then recited the following verse:
ٌ ۡ ُّ ٌ َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َّ
َ ‫﴿*ن إِب َراهِي َم‬
﴾‫للِي ٌم أواه منِيب‬
“Surely Ibraaheem is forbearing, soft-hearted and constantly turning (to Allah).”
On one occasion Rasulullah  was going towards his house and ‘Umar
 was also with him. On reaching his house, he saw Zaynab  engrossed
in Salaah and dua. On seeing her like this, Rasulullah  said:
‫إنها لواهة‬
“Surely she is extremely soft-hearted.”
Ummul-Mu’mineen Umme Salamah  says regarding Zaynab :
‫كنت صالة صوامة قوامة صناع تصدق بذالك كه < المساكي‬

“She was a righteous woman who used to fast a lot and engage in night Salaah
(Tahajjud) a lot. She used to make handicrafts and give the income of all that into
charity to the poor.”
Chapter 31 619
Abstinence
When ‘Umar  sent the annual expenditure to Zaynab  for the first
time, she thought that the money was for all the wives of Rasulullah  and
said: “May Allah forgive ‘Umar, he was more capable of distributing it among all
the wives (he should not have given me this responsibility).” The people who were
present there said to her: “All this is for you (and not to be distributed to the other
wives).” She said: “Glory be to Allah and she concealed herself from the wealth (so
that she does not have to see it).”
She ordered Barzah bint Raafi‘  to keep that wealth aside and to cover it
with a cloth. She then said: “Take out a handful of money from beneath that cloth
and give it to so and so orphan. Take another handful and give it to so and so
person.” When that wealth was distributed and a little was left, Barzah  said
to her: “May Allah forgive you, we also have some right over that wealth.” Zaynab
 replied: “Okay, you may take whatever is beneath that cloth.” Barzah 
says: “When I lifted that cloth, I saw that there were 85 dirhams left.” When all the
wealth was distributed, she raised her hands and said:
ّٰ
‫ يدركن عطاء عمر بعد عم هذا‬O ‫اللهم‬
“O Allah! May the spending of ‘Umar not find me after this year.”
Consequently, Zaynab  passed away within that year.
Another Hadith states that her annual stipend was 12 000 dirhams. When this
amount of money from the Islamic Treasury came to her, she constantly made this
dua:
ّٰ
‫ يدركن هذا المال من قابل فإنه فتنة‬O ‫اللهم‬
“O Allah! May this wealth not come to me in the future for it is surely a trial.”
On saying this, she immediately began distributing this money to her relatives and
the poor and needy. When ‘Umar  was informed of this, he said: “It seems
that Allah Ta’ala has willed good for her.” He immediately sent another 1000
dirhams. He conveyed his Salaams to her and said: “You have given that 12000
dirhams in charity, you should now keep these 1000 dirhams for your personal
needs.” On receiving this second amount, she immediately distributed it as well.
Demise
Aa’ishah  narrates that one day, Rasulullah  said to his pure wives:
“The one from among you whose hands are the longest will be the first to join me
(after my demise).” Rasulullah  was referring to generosity and big-
heartedness while the pure wives took the literal meaning. Consequently, when the
pure wives used to meet after the demise of Rasulullah , they would
measure each others hands to see whose hands are the longest. Zaynab  was
a bit short. When she was the first one to pass away, they all realised that Zaynab’s
 hand was the longest in giving charity. She used to physically work with
her hands, she used to tan leather and whatever income she derived from this, she
would give it in charity.
She had even prepared her shroud (kafan) before she could pass away. Qaasim
ibn Muhammad narrates that when Zaynab’s  death approached, she said: “I
have already kept my shroud ready. ‘Umar  would probably send a shroud
for me. You should use one shroud for me and give the other in charity.” After her
demise, ‘Umar  sent five pieces of cloth for her shroud after having applied
perfume to them. She was enshrouded in the shroud that ‘Umar  sent while
her personal shroud was given in charity by her sister Hamnah .
When Zaynab  passed away, Aa’ishah  said:
‫لقد ذهبت حيدة متعبدة مفزع التام والرامل‬

“(How sad)! A woman who possessed praiseworthy qualities, who was an ardent
worshipper of Allah Ta’ala, and who was a refuge for the orphans and widows has
departed.”
She passed away in 20 A.H. in Madinah. ‘Umar  performed her Janaazah
Salaah. She was 50 or 53 years old at the time of her demise. She was 35 years old
when Rasulullah  married her.
Ummul-Mu’mineen Juwayriyah bint Haaris 
Juwayriyah  was the daughter of Haaris ibn Diraar, the leader of the Banu
Mustaliq tribe. Her first marriage was with Musaafih ibn Safwaan Mustalaqi who
was killed in the battle of Muraysi‘. Many women and children were captured in
this battle. Juwayriyah  was among the captives. Rasulullah  freed
her and brought her into his marriage. Her dowry was set at 400 dirhams. Details
with regard to how she came to marry Rasulullah  were given under the
chapter concerning the battle of Bani Mustaliq.
She married Rasulullah  in 5 A.H. She was 20 years old at the time.
She passed away in Rabi‘ul-Awwal 50 A.H. She was 65 years old at the time of her
demise. Marwaan ibn Hakam, who was the governor of Madinah at the time,
performed her Janaazah Salaah. She was buried in the famous graveyard of
Madinah, Jannatul Baqi‘.
Chapter 31 621
She was particularly attached to engaging herself in the worship of Allah

Ta’ala. She set aside a special place in her house for her worship. She referred to
this place as her Masjid. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas  narrates from Juwayriyah
: “One morning, Rasulullah  came into my house while I was busy
in my Masjid. He therefore went away. He returned around mid-day and found me
at the same spot. He asked: ‘Have you been engaging in worship from that time till
now?’ I replied: ‘Yes.’ He said to me: ‘I am going to teach you some words. You
should read them constantly. They are:
ۡ َ َ َ ّٰ َ
ِ‫ِ ع َدد خل ِقه‬4‫ ُس ۡب َحان ا‬3 times
ۡ َ َ ّٰ َ
ِ‫ِ ِرضا نفسِ ه‬4‫ ُس ۡب َحان ا‬3 times
َ َ َ ّٰ َ
ِ‫ِ ِزنة ع ۡر ِشه‬4‫ ُس ۡب َحان ا‬3 times
َ َ ّٰ َ
ِ‫ِ م َِداد ك َِماتِه‬4‫ ُس ۡب َحان ا‬3 times
Rasulullah  said to her: “I will now recite four sentences three times each.
If these are weighed against all the zikr which you read from morning till now,
these four will out-weigh your zikr. The sentences are:
َ َ َ ََ َۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ّٰ َ َ ۡ ُ
ِ‫ح ۡم ِده ِ ع َدد خل ِقهِ َورِضا نفسِ هِ َو ِزنة ع ۡر ِشهِ َوم َِداد ك َِماتِه‬
َ ‫ِ َوب‬4‫ا‬
ِ ‫سبحان‬
“Glory and praise to Allah equal to the number of His creation, the extent of His
pleasure, the weight of His throne and the number of His words.”
Ummul-Mu’mineen Umme Habibah bint Abi Sufyan 

Her name was Ramlah while Umme Habibah was her kunniyat. She was the
daughter of Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb Umawi, the famous leader of the Quraysh. Her
mother’s name was Safiyyah bint Abil-’Aas who was the paternal aunt of ‘Usmaan
. She was born 17 years before prophet-hood. Her first marriage was with
‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh.
Umme Habibah  embraced Islam at the very beginning and so did her
husband, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh. They both emigrated to Abyssinia. While there,
she gave birth to a daughter whom they named Habibah. She is therefore known as
Umme Habibah (the mother of Habibah) and became popular by this name. While
in Abyssinia, her husband, ‘Ubaydullah, renounced Islam and became a Christian.
However, Umme Habibah  remained steadfast on Islam.
Umme Habibah  says: “Before ‘Ubaydullah could become a Christian, I
saw him in a dream in which he was in a very ugly and repulsive form. I became
terrified. The next morning I learnt that he became a Christian. I related this dream
to him so that he may come to his senses, but he paid no attention and became
totally immersed in alcohol. He eventually died in this intoxicated state. A few
days later I saw a dream in which a person addressed me as ‘O Mother of the
Believers.’ I became nervous by this dream. No sooner I completed my ‘iddah, I

received Rasulullah’s  proposal of marriage.”
In the meantime, Rasulullah  sent ‘Amr ibn Umayyah Damri to
Najaashi, the king of Abyssinia, telling him that if Umme Habibah agrees to marry
me, you should act as my representative and perform our marriage. You should
then convey her to me. Najaashi sent his slave-woman, Barrah, to Umme Habibah
 with the following message: “I have received a message from Rasulullah
 that he proposes to marry you. If you accept his proposal, you should
appoint a representative on your behalf.” Umme Habibah  accepted the
proposal and appointed Khaalid ibn Sa’eed ibn al-’Aas Umawi as her
representative. When she received the good news of Rasulullah’s 
proposal, she removed the two bangles from her hands, anklets from her feet, and
rings from her fingers, and gave them all to Barrah, who brought the good news.
Najaashi then gathered Ja‘far  and all the other Muslims who were in
Abyssinia and performed the marriage. His marriage sermon was as follows:
ّٰ
‫م المؤمن المهيمن العزيز البار‬K‫ الملك القدوس الس‬4 ‫المد‬
ّٰ
‫ وأن ممدا عبده ورسول وأنه الي بش به‬4‫ ا‬O‫ إل إ‬O ‫أشهد أن‬
ّٰ ّٰ
4‫ فإن رسول ا‬،‫ أما بعد‬.‫ عليهما وسلم‬4‫عيس بن مريم صل ا‬
ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم كتب إ¯ أن أزوجه أم حبيبة بنت أب سفيان‬4‫صل ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم وقد أصدقتها‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫فأجبت إ¯ ما دع إله رسول ا‬
‫أربعمأته دينار‬
After praising Allah Ta’ala with some of His names, Najaashi said: “I testify that
there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad B is His servant
and Messenger. And that he is the Prophet regarding whom ‘Isa ibn Maryam
gave glad tidings. The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala wrote to me asking me to perform
his marriage to Umme Habibah bint Abi Sufyaan. I have discharged his request and
given her 400 dinars as dowry.”
Najaashi then handed the 400 dinars over to Khaalid ibn Sa’eed . The latter
then stood up and said:
ّٰ ّٰ
O ‫ وحده‬4‫ ا‬O‫ إل إ‬O ‫ أحده وأستعينه وأستغفره وأشهد أن‬4 ‫المد‬
‫شيك ل وأشهد أن ممدا عبده ورسول أرسله بالهدى ودين الق‬
Chapter 31 623
‫ فقد أجبت إ¯ ما‬،‫ أما بعد‬.‫لظهره < الين كه ولو كره المشكون‬
ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم وزوجته أم حبيبة بنت أب‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫دع إله رسول ا‬
ّٰ ّٰ ّٰ
‫ عليه وسلم‬4‫ صل ا‬4‫ لرسول ا‬4‫سفيان فبارك ا‬
“All praise is due to Allah. I praise Him, seek His help and His forgiveness. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, who is one and He has no
partner. I testify that Muhammad  is His servant and Messenger. He sent
him with guidance and the true religion so that it may supercede all other religions
even though the disbelievers may dislike it. I have discharged the request of
Rasulullah  and got him married to Umme Habibah bint Abi Sufyaan.
May Allah Ta’ala bless Rasulullah .”
The people who were present began getting up from the assembly. Najaashi said to
them: “Please remain seated. It is the Sunnah of the Prophets that there should be a
walimah (wedding feast) after the marriage.” Food was thus presented to them. The
people departed after having partaken of the meal.
When the dowry was conveyed to Umme Habibah , she gave 50 dinars
to Barrah. Barrah took those 50 dinars and all the jewellery which Umme Habibah
 had given her previously and returned everything to Umme Habibah
. She said to her that Najaashi had emphasised upon her not to take
anything. She then said to her: “I am now a follower of Muhammad  and
I have embraced the religion of Islam. The king has just today sent an order to all
his wives to present to you some of the perfumes and fragrances that they have in
their possession.” Consequently, Barrah came the following day with various
perfumes including ‘oud and ‘amber. Umme Habibah  says: “I kept all those
perfumes and took them with me when I went to Rasulullah .” Barrah
said to her: “I have one request. When you go back, convey my Salaams to
Rasulullah  and tell him that I have embraced his religion.” Umme
Habibah  says: “Right till my departure from Abyssinia, Barra would come
to me everyday and remind me about her request. When I went to Madinah, I
informed Rasulullah  of everything that transpired while I was in
Abyssinia. Rasulullah  continued smiling and eventually replied to the
Salaam of Barrah and said: ‘And peace be on her, and also the mercy and blessings
of Allah Ta’ala.’”
Umme Habibah  passed away in Madinah in 44 A.H. Some scholars say
that she passed away in Damascus. However, the authentic report is that she passed
away in Madinah.
Since she was born 17 years before prophet-hood, it would mean that she was
37 years old at the time of her marriage and 74 years old at the time of her death.
Aa’ishah  says: “When Umme Habibah  was departing from this

world, she called me and said to me: ‘You are fully aware of what transpires
amongst co-wives. Forgive me for whatever I may have said or did. May Allah
Ta’ala forgive you.’ I said to her: ‘Everything is forgiven. May Allah Ta’ala forgive
both of us.’ She said: ‘O Aa’ishah! You have made me happy. May Allah Ta’ala
keep you happy.’ She then called for Umme Salamah  and said the same
thing to her.”
Ummul-Mu’mineen Safiyyah bint Huyayy 
Safiyyah  was the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the leader of the Banu
Nazeer tribe. Huyayy was from the progeny of Haroon , the brother of Musa
. Her mother’s name was Darrah. Her first marriage was with Salaam ibn
Mishkam Qurazi. When he divorced her, she married Kinaanah ibn Abi al-Huqayq.
Kinaanah was killed in the battle of Khaybar and she was captured in this battle.
Rasulullah  freed her and brought her into his marriage. Her freedom
was her dowry. On proceeding from Khaybar, Rasulullah  stopped at a
place called Sahbaa, which was the first stop over point from Khaybar. It was at
this place that Rasulullah  consummated the marriage and also prepared
a walimah.
This walimah was quite unique. A leather mat was laid down and Rasulullah
 asked Anas  to announce that whoever has any food should come
with it. Someone brought dates, someone brought cheese, someone brought broth,
someone brought ghee, etc. When all these items were brought together, everyone
sat down and partook of this meal. There was no meat or bread in this walimah.
Rasulullah  remained at Sahbaa for three days during which
Safiyyah  remained in Hijaab. When Rasulullah  was departing
from there, he personally seated Safiyyah  onto the camel. He then gave her
his cloak with which she covered herself so that no one would be able to see her.
This was a sort of announcement that she was his wife (Ummul-Mu’mineen) and
not a slave woman.
When she came into the marriage of Rasulullah , he saw a green
mark in her eyes. Rasulullah  asked her about it. She replied: “One day I
was sleeping with my head on my husband’s lap. I dreamt that the moon came and
fell in my lap. I related this dream to my husband. He gave me a hard slap and said:
‘You are desiring the king of Yasrib?’” (Referring to Rasulullah ).
When Safiyyah  came to Madinah from Khaybar, she was taken to the
house of Haarisah ibn Nu‘maan. When the Ansaar women heard about her beauty
and attractiveness, they all came to see her. Aa’ishah  also came, but she
covered herself in a veil so that she will not be recognized. However, Rasulullah
Chapter 31 625
 recognized her. When he returned (to Aa’ishah’s house) he asked her: “O

Aa’ishah! What did you see?” She replied: “I saw a Jewess.” Rasulullah 
said: “Do not say that. She has embraced Islam and she has done so very well.”
On one occasion Rasulullah  saw Safiyyah  crying. When he
asked her the reason for this, she replied: “Aa’ishah and Hafsah are interfering with
me and claiming that they are more beloved and more honoured in your eyes than
I am. Apart from being your wives, they are also related to you.” Rasulullah
 replied: “Why did you not say to them: ‘How can you be better than me?
My father is Haroon , my uncle is Musa  and my husband is
Muhammad .’”
Aa’ishah  says: “On one occasion I said to Rasulullah  that
Safiyyah is sufficient for you, and I then described how short she was.” Rasulullah
 said: “You have said such a thing that if what you said were placed in
the oceans, it would all become impure.”
On one occasion Rasulullah  was on a journey when Safiyyah’s
 camel fell ill. Zaynab bint Jahsh  had an extra camel. Rasulullah
 said to her: “If you give your extra camel to Safiyyah, it will be a good
act from you.” She replied: “Yes! I will give it to that Jewess!” Rasulullah 
became displeased with this reply and did not go to her for two to three months.
When Rasulullah  was in his final illness, all his wives gathered
around him. Safiyyah  said to him: “O Prophet of Allah! It is my wish that
your entire illness comes to me while you recover from your illness.” On hearing
this, the other wives began making signs to each other (trying to say that she was
merely putting up an act). Rasulullah  saw this and said: “I take an oath
by Allah that she is certainly saying the truth.”
Safiyyah  was a very intelligent, forbearing and virtuous woman. One
of the slave women of Safiyyah  went to ‘Umar  and said to him that
Safiyyah  likes Saturdays a lot and that she has very good relations with the
Jews. ‘Umar  sent a message to her, asking her for an explanation. She
replied: “Ever since Allah Ta’ala gave me Friday in place of Saturday, I never liked
Saturdays. As for my good relationships with the Jews, the reason for that is that I
have many relatives among them and I maintain my family ties (as is the teaching
of Islam).” On hearing this, ‘Umar  asked the slave woman: “What made you
say such a thing?” The slave woman spoke the truth and said that it was from
shaytaan. Safiyyah  freed this slave woman.
Sa’eed ibn Musayyib  relates that when Safiyyah  came to
Madinah, she had gold earings on her. She gave some of the gold from there to
Faatimah  and some to a few other women.
Glory to Allah! No sooner she became the wife of Rasulullah , the

love for this world disappeared from her heart. She passed away in Ramadhaan 50
A.H. and is buried in Jannatul Baqi‘.
Ummul Mu’mineen Maymoonah bint Haaris 

Her name is Maymoonah, her father’s name is Haaris and her mother’s name is
Hind. Rasulullah  married her in Zul Qa‘dah 7 A.H. at the time when
Rasulullah  went to Makkah to perform ‘umratul qadaa’. Ibn Sa‘d 
says that this was his last wife. He did not marry any woman after her. She was
previously married to Abu Rahm ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza. When he passed away, she
married Rasulullah . The dowry was set at 500 dirhams.
Ibn ‘Abbaas  says that when Rasulullah  proposed to her, she
appointed ‘Abbaas  as her representative, who consequently got her married
to Rasulullah .
There are conflicting narrations as to whether he was in ihraam or not at the
time of marrying her. Imaam Bukhaari  says that the preferred opinion is that
he was in ihraam. On leaving Makkah, Rasulullah  stopped at a place
called Sarif and consummated the marriage there.
It is gauged from some traditions that the marriage and the consummation
both took place at Sarif. It was also at this place that she passed away in 51 A.H.
She was also buried at this place. The Janaazah Salaah was performed by ‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Abbaas . She was lowered in the grave by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas ,
Yazeed ibn Asamm, ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddaad and ‘Ubaydullah Khaulaani. The first
three were her nephews while the fourth was an orphan who was brought up by
her.
The above are the eleven women whom Rasulullah  married. They
are given the title of Ummahaatul Mu’mineen – the Mothers of the Believers. There
were other women whom Rasulullah  married but divorced before the
marriage could be consummated. They were Asma’ bint Nu‘maan, Jauniyah and
‘Amrah bint Yazeed Kilaabiyyah.
Slave women
Rasulullah  had four slave women, two of whom are well known.
Maariyah Qibtiyyah : She was his Umm walad (mother of his child).
Rasulullah’s  son, Ibraaheem, was born from her. Muqawqis, the ruler of
Alexandria, had sent Maariyah  as a gift to Rasulullah . She passed
Chapter 31 627
away in 16 A.H. during the caliphate of ‘Umar  and was buried in Jannatul
Baqi‘.
Rayhaanah bint Sham‘un : She was either from the Banu Qurayzah or Banu
Nazeer. She was brought as a captive and remained as Rasulullah’s  slave
woman. She passed away after the Farewell Haj in 10 A.H. and was buried in
Jannatul Baqi‘. Another opinion is that Rasulullah  freed her and married
her. Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Nafisah : She was originally the slave woman of Zaynab bint Jahsh .
When relating the life of Safiyyah , we mentioned that Rasulullah 
got angry with Zaynab  because of what she said about Safiyyah , and
that Rasulullah  did not go to Zaynab  for two to three months.
When Rasulullah  forgave her, she gave this slave woman of hers to
Rasulullah  as a way of expressing her joy to Rasulullah .
Rasulullah’s  children
There are different opinions with regard to the number of Rasulullah’s 

children. The more accepted and reliable opinion is that he had three sons and four
daughters.
They were Qaasim, ‘Abdullah (who was also known as Tayyib and Taahir)
and Ibraaheem. The daughters were Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umme Kulsoom and
Faatimah. There is no difference with regard to the daughters – there were four,
they all grew up, got married, embraced Islam and emigrated. There is also no
difference with regard to Ibraaheem. He was born from Maariyah Qibtiyyah 
and passed away when still a child.
Apart from Ibraaheem, all the other children were born from Khadijah .
Rasulullah  had no children from any of the other wives. All the sons
that were born from Khadijah  passed away in infancy. There is therefore a
difference of opinion in their number. The scholars of biography in general, are of
the opinion that two sons were born from Khadijah  – Qaasim and
‘Abdullah. ‘Abdullah was also referred to as Tayyib and Taahir.
Qaasim 
He was the first of Rasulullah’s  children and passed away before

Rasulullah  attained prophet-hood. He passed away when he was just
two years old. Some scholars are of the opinion that he reached an age of
understanding and then passed away. Rasulullah  is given the title of

Abul Qaasim (father of Qaasim) because of this son of his.
Zaynab 
She is unanimously considered to be Rasulullah’s  eldest daughter. She
was born 10 years before prophet-hood. She embraced Islam and emigrated after
the battle of Badr. She was married to her maternal cousin, Abul-’Aas ibn Rabi‘.
Details concerning her emigration were given under the discussion of the captives
of Badr. She passed away at the beginning of the 8th year after emigration. She left
behind two children, a son by the name of Ali and a daughter by the name of
Umaamah.
There are different traditions with regard to her son, Ali. It is popularly
believed that he reached the age of understanding and passed away while his father
was still alive. Another opinion is that he was martyred in the battle of Yarmuk.
Rasulullah  loved his granddaughter Umaamah dearly and she was
very attached to him. At times she used to climb on Rasulullah’s  back
while he was in Salaah. Rasulullah  would lower her gently.
On one occasion Rasulullah  received a gold necklace as a gift. All
his wives were present at that time. Umaamah was playing in a corner of the house
with some sand. Rasulullah  said: “I am going to give this necklace to my
most beloved family member.” All those who were present thought that Aa’ishah
 will receive it. However, Rasulullah  called Umaamah, wiped her
eyes with his blessed hands and then placed that necklace around her neck.
When Faatimah  passed away, Ali  married Umaamah. Before Ali
 could be martyred, he wrote a bequest to Mughirah ibn Naufal that he
should marry Umaamah. Some scholars say that from this marriage between
Mughirah and Umaamah, a son by the name of Yahyaa was born. Other scholars
say that Umaamah had no children. She passed away while still married to
Mughirah.
Ruqayyah 
Ruqayyah  and Umme Kulsoom  – these two daughters of Rasulullah
 were married to two sons of Abu Lahab, namely, ‘Utbah and ‘Utaybah,
respectively. Both these daughters were married to these two sons of Abu Lahab,
but the marriages were not consummated as yet. When the Surah Lahab was
revealed, Abu Lahab summoned his two sons and said to them: “If you do not
divorce the daughters of Muhammad, it will be Haraam for you to stay in my
Chapter 31 629
house.” Both the sons obeyed their father and divorced their respective wives
before the consummation of the marriages.
Rasulullah  got Ruqayyah  married to ‘Usmaan . When
he emigrated to Abyssinia, Ruqayyah  also accompanied him. Rasulullah
 did not receive any news from them for quite some time. After some
time, a woman came and informed him that she met both of them in Abyssinia. On
hearing this news, Rasulullah  said: “May Allah be with both of them.
‘Usmaan is the first person after Lut  to have emigrated with his wife and
family.”
While they were in Abyssinia, a son by the name of ‘Abdullah was born to
them. He passed away when he was six years old.
When Rasulullah  was departing for the battle of Badr, Ruqayyah
 was ill at that time. ‘Usmaan  could therefore not participate in the
battle of Badr. He was busy tending to his wife. She passed away on the very day
when Zaid ibn Haarisah  came into Madinah to give the good news of the
Muslims’ victory over the Quraysh of Makkah.
Usaamah ibn Zaid  also did not take part in the battle of Badr because of
Ruqayyah’s  illness. He was busy making the burial arrangements when he
heard the Takbeer (someone saying Allah is the greatest). ‘Usmaan  asked
him: “O Usaamah! What is this?” When they looked, they saw Zaid ibn Haarisah
 riding Rasulullah’s  camel and coming with the news that the
disbelievers were defeated. Ruqayyah  was 20 years old when she passed
away.
Umme Kulsoom 
She was popularly known by this title. It seems that this was her name as well. She
does not seem to be known by any other name. After the death of her sister
Ruqayyah , she married ‘Usmaan  in Rabi‘ul-Awwal 3 A.H. She
remained with him for six years. They had no children. She passed away in
Sha’baan 9 A.H. Rasulullah  performed the Janaazah Salaah. She was
lowered into the grave by Ali , Fadl ibn ‘Abbaas  and Usaamah ibn
Zaid . Rasulullah  was sitting by her grave side and tears were
flowing from his eyes.
Umme Kulsoom  was first married to the son of Abu Lahab, ‘Utaybah
(as mentioned previously). He divorced her on the instruction of his father. The
other brother, ‘Utbah, had also divorced Ruqayyah . ‘Utaybah did not suffice
with just issuing a divorce. He went to Rasulullah  and said: “I reject
your religion. I have divorced your daughter. She does not like me and I do not like
her.” He then attacked Rasulullah  and tore the long robe that Rasulullah
 was wearing. Rasulullah  cursed him and made the following
dua: “O Allah! Impose one of Your animals over him.” On one occasion a Qurayshi
trade caravan travelling towards Syria stopped over at a place called Zarqaa’. Abu
Lahab and ‘Utaybah were both in this caravan. At night, a lion came, scanned the
faces of all those who were part of the caravan and sniffed them. When it reached
‘Utaybah, it immediately mauled his head. ‘Utaybah died there and then. The lion
disappeared and could not be found.
When Umme Kulsoom  passed away, Rasulullah  said: “If I
had ten daughters, I would have given them one after the other in the marriage of
‘Usmaan.”
Faatimah 
Her name is Faatimah and she has two titles: Zahraa’ and Batool. The word Batool
comes in the meaning of cut-off or severed. She is referred to by this name because
her merits and virtues were such that she surpassed the other women of this world
and was thereby cut-off from them. Another meaning could be that she was cut-off
from everything and everyone apart from Allah Ta’ala. She was referred to as
Zahraa’ because of her internal beauty, splendour and purity.
She was the youngest of Rasulullah’s  daughters while Zaynab
 was the eldest. Zaynab  was followed by Ruqayyah , followed
by Umme Kulsoom  and then Faatimah .
She was married to Ali  in 2 A.H. Based on the first opinion of her date
of birth, she was 15 years and five and half months old at the time of her marriage.
There is a difference of opinion as to how old Ali  was when he embraced
Islam. One opinion is that he was eight years old while the other opinion is that he
was 10 years old. Based on the first opinion, he was 21 years and five months old at
the time of his marriage. Based on the second opinion, he was 24 years and one and
half months old at the time of his marriage.
She had five children, three boys and two girls: Hasan, Husayn, Muhsin,
Umme Kulsoom and Zaynab. Rasulullah’s  lineage did not continue from
any of his children apart from Faatimah . Muhsin passed away in his
infancy. Umme Kulsoom married ‘Umar  but they did not get any children.
Zaynab was married to ‘Abdullah ibn Ja‘far  and they had children.
Faatimah  passed away six months after the demise of Rasulullah
 in Ramadhaan 11 A.H. ‘Abbaas  performed the Janaazah Salaah.
Ali , ‘Abbaas  and Fadl ibn ‘Abbaas  lowered her in her grave.
Rasulullah  loved Faatimah  the most. On many occasions
Rasulullah  asked her: “O Faatimah! Does it not please you that you will
Chapter 31 631
be the leader of all the women of Jannah?” In one Hadith, he said to her: “You are
the leader of all the women of this world, apart from Maryam.” It was Rasulullah’s
 habit that when he left for a journey, he would meet Faatimah 
last and when he returned from a journey, he would meet her first.
An entire book can be dedicated to the virtues and merits of Faatimah .
We have sufficed with just a few.
Ibraaheem 
He is the last of Rasulullah’s  children. He was born from Maariyah
Qibtiyyah  in Zul Hijjah 8 A.H. Rasulullah  made his ‘aqeeqah on
the seventh day. Two sheep were slaughtered, his head was shaved and the
equivalent of the hairs weight in silver was given in charity. The hair was buried
and he was named Ibraaheem. He was given to a wet-nurse on the outskirts of
Madinah. Rasulullah  would occasionally go to visit him, carry him and
play with him. He lived for about 15-16 months and passed away in 10 A.H.
Coincidentaly, the day on which he passed away, there was a solar eclipse. It was
the belief of the Arabs that when a great person passes away, the sun goes into
eclipse. In order to refute this baseless belief, Rasulullah  delivered a
sermon and said: “The sun and moon are from among the signs of Allah Ta’ala.
They do not go into eclipse by the birth or death of anyone. Allah Ta’ala is actually
frightening His servants. When you see such a phenomenon, you should offer
Salaah, make dua to Allah Ta’ala and give charity.”
Chapter 32
The blessed physical features of Rasulullah 
Rasulullah  was neither too tall nor too short. He was of average height.
He had a large head which was in proportion to his body. He had a thick beard. His
head and beard had about 25 grey hairs. His face was luminous and handsome.
Whoever saw his blessed face described it to be luminous like the full moon.
His perspiration had a special fragrance. When droplets of his perspiration fell
from his face, they looked like pearls. Anas  says that we did not touch silk
softer than the palms of Rasulullah , and we did not smell any musk and
Amber more fragrant than the fragrance that emanated from the body of
Rasulullah .
The seal of prophet-hood

The seal of prophet-hood was situated between his shoulders, closer to the right
shoulder. A Hadith of Sahih Muslim states that there was a piece of red flesh
similar to that of a pigeon’s egg situated between Rasulullah’s  two
shoulders.
This seal of prophet-hood was a special sign of his prophet-hood and was
mentioned in the previous divine Books and mentioned by the previous Prophets of
Allah Ta’ala. The scholars of the Bani Israa’eel used to see this and recognise
Rasulullah  as the last Prophet regarding whom the previous Prophets
had given glad tidings, and that the seal of prophet-hood which they had
mentioned was found in Rasulullah . This seal of prophet-hood was a
sort of mandate or certificate from Allah Ta’ala attesting to his prophet-hood.
‘Allaamah Suhayli  says that the seal of prophet-hood was close to the
right shoulder bone. The reason for it being situated there is that it is the area from
633
which shaytaan enters the human body. He enters from the back and whispers into
man’s heart. The seal of prophet-hood was placed at this spot so that the entry
point of shaytaan may be sealed and no whispering of shaytaan may enter his
luminous heart.
Some Ahaadith state that this seal of prophet-hood which was on Rasulullah’s
 back seemed to have the words Muhammad Rasulullah naturally
inscribed on it.
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar  that the seal of prophet-
hood was on the back of the Prophet  like a hazelnut made of flesh. In it
was written with flesh, Muhammad Rasulullah.
Rasulullah’s  hair would most of the time reach his ear lobes and
sometimes go beyond that. He used to comb his hair and also apply surmah
(antimony) to his eyes. This is despite the fact that his eyes had the natural look of
having surmah.
Rasulullah’s  eyes were large and wide (in proportion to his face).
They were quite black. There was a very fine line of hair extending from his chest
to his navel. His upper arms and feet were fleshy. When he walked, it seemed that
he raised his feet with force and that he was descending from an elevated place.
His blessed body and luminous face were beautified by all external and
internal beauties. Apart from smiling, Rasulullah  did not laugh with his
mouth wide open. It is stated in the Hadith that he resembled Ibraaheem the
most in his ways and in his appearance.
Rasulullah’s  blessed beard

Rasulullah  had a thick beard. Rasulullah  did not trim it
completely. However, he used to trim his moustache. He would occasionally trim
those hairs of the beard that stuck out (of the normal shape of the beard) so that it
does not look untidy and unkempt. The beard was a Sunnah practice of all the
Prophets of Allah Ta’ala. It was never kept on the basis of national or cultural
reasons as is the assumption of some deviated and immature people.
The beard is not only a Sunnah of Muhammad  and the way of
Islam, rather it is a Sunnah of all the Prophets (who numbered approximately 124
000). A Hadith states that the beard is from among the Sunnah practices of all the
Prophets.
The clothing of Rasulullah 
Rasulullah’s  clothes used to be extremely simple and basic. He led an

ascetic life. His clothes in general comprised of a sheet, a kurtah, a cloak and a
Chapter 32 635
shawl – many of which used to have patches. He used to like green clothes. His
clothes in general were white in colour.
The sheet that he wore was a Yemeni sheet which had green and red lines on
it. He used to like this sheet a lot. He prohibited men from wearing full red
garments.
His hat (topi) used to stick to his head. He never wore a high hat. Abu Kabshah
narrates that the hats of the Sahaabah  used to be flat. They stuck to the
head and were not high. Rasulullah  was particular in wearing a hat
beneath his turban. He used to say: “There is a difference between us and the
disbelievers that we tie our turban above our hats.”
When Rasulullah  tied his turban, one end of it would hang between
his shoulders. Sometimes, he would cause it to hang to the left or to the right.
Sometimes he would tie it below his chin. It is stated in a Hadith that Rasulullah
 said: “During the battles of Badr and Hunayn, Allah Ta’ala sent such
angels to assist me who were wearing turbans. These angels are mentioned in the
Qur-aan: ‘Five thousand angels on marked horses.’”
It is stated in a Hadith that Rasulullah  saw trousers being sold in
the market place of Mina. On seeing the trouser, he liked it and said that it is more
concealing than an izaar (lungi). Rasulullah  purchased the trouser but it
is not confirmed that he wore it.
Rasulullah  liked kurtahs a lot. The opening of his kurtah used to be
at the chest. At times, the buttons used to be open.
Rasulullah  used to wear leather socks and make masah (passing of
wet hands) on them.
Rasulullah’s  pillow was made of leather. It was filled with palm
leaves. Sometimes, Rasulullah  used to sleep on a straw mat.
Rasulullah  had a silver ring which he used to wear. When
Rasulullah  began writing letters to the rulers of Rome, Abyssinia, etc. he
made a silver ring which had the words Muhammad, Rasool, Allah inscribed on
three separate lines. The reason for making this ring was that kings did not accept
any letters that did not have a seal. This ring was used as a seal.
Rasulullah  wore flat sandals which had a single layer of sole and
two straps on the top. He would insert his mubaarak toes in these straps.
Rasulullah  also had a black woollen shawl which had patches on it.
A black woollen shawl with patches is also a Sunnah of the Prophets of Allah
Ta’ala. This was also worn by the Auliyaa (friends) of Allah Ta’ala and the pious. It
is extremely sad that this Sunnah has departed from this world. A sufi is referred to
as a sufi because he wears a woollen shawl in emulation of the Sunnah of the
Prophets of Allah Ta’ala. He is the person who has completely divorced himself
from worldly pursuits and considers the royal garb and dress to be totally
insignificant in comparison to this black woollen shawl.
Ibn Mas’ood  says that the Prophets used to ride donkeys, wear woollen
clothes, and milk the goats. Rasulullah  said: “The day on which Allah
spoke to Musa , the latter was wearing a woollen shawl, a woollen hat, a
woollen cloak and woollen pants. His sandals were made from the skin of a dead
donkey.”
Abu Bardah ibn Abi Musa Ash’ari  narrates that one day Aa’ishah
 took out a thick woollen shawl with patches on it and a thick cloak and said:
“Rasulullah  passed away in these two garments.” Aa’ishah’s 
purpose in saying this was to show Rasulullah’s  simplicity, humility and
ascetic way of life.
Allah Ta’ala addressed Rasulullah  in the Qur-aan as Muzzammil
(one who is wrapped in garments) and Muddassir (one who is enshrouded) to show
that these garments were most beloved by Allah Ta’ala.
Chapter 33
The Miracles of Nabi Muhammad 
Allah Ta’ala sent Ambiyaa and Messengers from among mankind for the guidance
of mankind. He did this in order to convey His injunctions through these pious
personalities, to remind man of his Creator and in order to complete His evidence
against man. Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur-aan: “So that the people may not have
any evidence against Allah after the Messengers.” Moreover, after the message has
been conveyed by the Prophets and Messengers, people will have no excuse for not
obeying the commands of Allah Ta’ala.
Since the Prophets and Messengers were humans and their external forms
were no different from other humans, Allah Ta’ala gave them miracles which
would be proofs and evidences of their truthfulness. Allah Ta’ala says in the story
of Musa : “These two (the staff and the luminous hand) are two proofs (of
your prophet-hood) from your Sustainer.” [Surah al-Qasas, verse 32]
Nabi  was also given many miracles to prove his Messenger-hood.
At times voices were heard from trees and rocks which gave testimony to
Rasulullah’s  prophet-hood and which contained their greetings to him:
“Peace be upon you O Messenger of Allah!” On one occasion, Rasulullah 
summoned a tree to him. It came to him and when he asked it to return to its
original place, it returned.
Miracles of barakah (blessings)

The essence of every Prophet and Messenger is a fountain of blessings and
goodness. Just as Muhammad  surpasses the other Prophets in other
attributes and qualities, his miracles of blessings and goodness are unsurpassed. In
short, through his blessings, a small amount of food and a small quantity of water
sufficed a huge army on several occasions.
637
1. In the battle of Khandaq, a small quantity of flour in the house of Jaabir

filled the bellies of a large number of people.
2. Abu Talhah  invited Rasulullah  alone to his house and
prepared food for 2-3 people. Rasulullah  fed all his companions to
their satisfaction from this little food.
3. On one occasion, about 2kg of barley and the mutton of a lamb sufficed 80
people.
4. There was no water left in the well at Hudaybiyah. Rasulullah 
poured the left over water of his wudhu water into it and it began flowing like
a spring. One thousand five hundred people drank of that water and gave to
their animals as well.
5. The spring that was at Tabuk had become dry. Rasulullah  placed his
wudhu water into it. It began flowing so profusely, that thousands of people
drank from it.
6. On one occasion, the entire army of Muslims was restless due to thirst.
Rasulullah  took a cup which was so small that his hand could not fit
into it. He placed his fingers over it and water began gushing from between his
fingers. The entire army drank from that water and also performed wudhu.
7. On one occasion a cup of milk was brought to him. Rasulullah 
ordered Abu Hurayrah  to call all the people of Suffah. They numbered
about 70-80. All of them drank to their fill from that one cup. When they all
finished, the milk was still as it had been.
8. When Rasulullah  married Zaynab , then the mother of Anas
, Umme Sulaym , prepared some food and sent it to Rasulullah
. Rasulullah  invited many Sahaabah  and ordered
that 10 of them should sit at a time and partake of that food. Approximately
300 of them ate from that food. The balance of the food was more than what
was originally prepared.
Acceptance of Duas
From among the miracles of Rasulullah  is that whatever dua he made
for anyone, it was accepted. Such miracles are also referred to as Sayf al-Lisaani. In
other words, whatever is uttered by the tongue, happens exactly like that without
any delay. This is a sign that the person is a chosen one of Allah Ta’ala and
divinely assisted. Whatever Allah Ta’ala causes that person to say, takes place
exactly like that. What can be said of the forceful tongue of Rasulullah !
Chapter 33 639
Whatever he said was as if it was engraved in rock. Whatever he said about a

particular person, took place exactly like that.
1. Rasulullah  made dua for Anas  who was a very poor person.
Through this dua, he became very wealthy.
2. ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Auf  became so wealthy by the dua of Rasulullah
, that he became a multi-millionaire.
3. Rasulullah  made dua for Sa‘d  that Allah Ta’ala should make
him a person whose duas are readily accepted. This dua was accepted.
4. On the occasion of the hijrah, Suraaqah followed Rasulullah  (in
order to capture him). Rasulullah  made dua that Allah Ta’ala should
cause his horse to sink into the ground. No sooner he made this dua, the horse
sank into the ground till its knees. When Suraaqah embraced Islam, Rasulullah
 again made dua and the horse emerged immediately.
5. Rasulullah  made dua in favour of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas  that
Allah Ta’ala should bless him with knowledge. Consequently, he became a
fountain of knowledge and wisdom.
6. Rasulullah  made dua for the memory of Abu Hurayrah .
Consequently, he never forgot whatever he heard thereafter.
7. Rasulullah  made dua for the guidance of Abu Hurayrah’s 
mother. She embraced Islam soon thereafter.
8. On one occasion, Rasulullah  went to someone’s house. He placed a
sheet over all of them and made dua. The threshold of the door and the walls
of the house said Aameen three times to his dua.
9. When the Quraysh displayed extreme opposition and antagonism towards
him, he cursed them by saying: “O Allah! Inflict them with a drought.”
Consequently, a drought was inflicted on them.
10. Madinah experienced a drought. While Rasulullah  was delivering
his sermon, a person stood up and said: “O Rasulullah! Make dua for rain.”
Rasulullah  raised his hand and made dua. It started to rain
immediately.
Curing the sick

1. During the battle of Khaybar, Ali  experienced some pain in his eyes.
Rasulullah  placed some of his blessed saliva on to them and they
were immediately cured. He never experience pain in his eyes again.
2. An eye of Qataadah ibn Nu‘maan  fell off during Jihaad. Rasulullah

 picked it up with his blessed hand and placed it back in its place.
This eye sparkled and looked more appealing than the other eye (that hadn’t
fallen off).
3. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Atik  killed Abu Raafi‘. When ‘Abdullah  was
coming down from the steps, he fell and broke his legs. Rasulullah 
passed his blessed hand over his legs and they were immediately cured as
though they had not been broken.
4. While they were in the cave of Hira’, a snake bit Abu Bakr . Rasulullah
 placed his saliva on that spot and it was immediately cured.
5. A blind person came to Rasulullah . Rasulullah  taught
him a special dua and said to him: “After performing wudhu, offer two
Rakaats of Salaah and make dua to Allah Ta’ala by using my name. Allah
Ta’ala will fulfil your need.” This blind person followed the advice of
Rasulullah . ‘Usmaan ibn Haneef  says: “We still hadn’t got up
from that assembly when that blind person’s eyesight was returned to him.”
6. Habib ibn Abi Fudayk’s father  developed white specks in his eyes and
became blind. Rasulullah  recited something and blew into his eyes.
His eyes were immediately cured.
7. During the Farewell Haj, a woman came to Rasulullah  with her
child. She informed him that this child was dumb. Rasulullah  asked
for some water, washed his hands, gargled his mouth and said: “Give this child
this water to drink and sprinkle some of it on him.” When the woman came
the following year, her child was completely cured and could speak.
8. When Muhammad ibn Haatib  was still a child, he fell from his mother’s
lap into the fire and got slightly burnt. Rasulullah  placed some of
his blessed saliva on him and he was completely cured.
9. Abu Hurayrah  complained to Rasulullah  about his memory –
that he forgets whatever he hears from him. Rasulullah  asked him
to spread out his shawl. He then placed something with both his hands onto it
and asked him to place it against his chest. Abu Hurayrah  said: “I did
exactly that and I never forgot anything thereafter.”
10. A person came to Rasulullah  and said: “O Messenger of Allah! My
brother is ill. The effects of insanity are on him.” Rasulullah  asked
him to bring his brother to him. When he was brought, Rasulullah 
Chapter 33 641
recited several surahs of the Qur-aan and blew onto him. He was immediately
cured and no traces of insanity remained on him.
There are various other incidents where Rasulullah  cured people who
were ill. He cured them with his blessed saliva, by blowing on them or by passing
his hand over them and they were immediately cured.
Bringing the dead to life

The noble Prophets are essentially spiritual doctors. They have been commissioned
to treat the ailments of the heart and soul. However, Allah Ta’ala occasionally
enables them to cure such physical ailments which doctors are unable to treat.
Occasionally, He also enables them to bring back the dead so that it may be made
clear that these Prophets are the chosen ones of Allah Ta’ala. Miracles of this
nature were given to a large extent to ‘Isa .
Although Allah Ta’ala blessed Muhammad  with numerous types of
miracles, He also endowed him with a fair share of miracles related to curing the
sick and bringing back the dead to life. Allah Ta’ala caused a group of dead people
to come to life at his hands.
Imaam Qurtubi  writes in his book, Tazkirah, that Allah Ta’ala caused a
group of dead people to be revived at the hands of Muhammad .
1. Anas  narrates that a young son of an elderly old woman passed away.
Everyone placed a cloth over him and covered him. The old lady was greatly
disturbed and began screaming out and saying: “O Allah! You know very well
that I embraced Islam solely for Your sake. I abandoned all the idols and
emigrated to Your Messenger after much difficulties. O Allah! Do not give the
idol worshippers the opportunity to ridicule me and do not place this
unbearable burden on me.” Anas  says: “Rasulullah  and all of
us, the people of Suffah, were present at that time. I take an oath by Allah
Ta’ala that we were still present there when that boy suddenly came to life. He
removed the sheet that was covering his face and took meals with us. He
remained alive till after the demise of Rasulullah . His old mother
passed away in his lifetime.” This child came back to life by this dua of this
woman and the blessed presence of Rasulullah .
2. Rasulullah  invited a person to Islam. He replied: “I will only
embrace Islam if you bring back to life my daughter who passed away
recently.” Rasulullah  said: “Show me her grave.” That person took
him to her grave. Rasulullah  stood there and called out her name.
The girl came to life and said: “Here I am and I am fortunate to be before you.”
Rasulullah  asked her: “Would you like to live with your parents?”
She replied: “O Rasulullah ! The companionship of Allah Ta’ala is

better. And I have found the hereafter to be better than this world.”
3. Aa’ishah  narrates that during the Farewell Haj, Rasulullah 
got off at a place called Hajoon and when he left, he was sad and crying. When
he returned to me after some time, he was happy and smiling. When I asked
him the reason for this, he replied: “I requested Allah Ta’ala to cause my
parents to come back to life. Allah Ta’ala brought them back to life, they
brought Imaan in me, and passed away again.”
4. It is narrated through several narrations in the books of Hadith that when
Rasulullah  was at Khaybar, a Jewish woman presented a roasted
goat to Rasulullah . She had poisoned this goat. Rasulullah
 ate a little from it and the Sahaabah  also did the same.
Suddenly he asked the Sahaabah  to stop eating and said to them: “This
goat has just informed me now that it has been mixed with poison.”
5. Rasulullah  used to lean against the stump of a date palm in the
Masjid-e-Nabawi and deliver his sermons. Later when his mimbar was made,
he began delivering his sermons from the mimbar. This stump was so
overcome by grief over its separation from Rasulullah , that it began
crying out loudly. He got down from the mimbar, went to it and embraced it.
It then began sobbing. Rasulullah  said: “This stump used to
constantly listen to my sermon. Since it no longer listens to it, it began crying.”
Chapter 34
Khasaa’is-e-Nabawi (Special Merits of Nabi )
Khasaa’is-e-Nabawi refers to those virtues and merits which Allah Ta’ala bestowed
on Muhammad  alone. Allah Ta’ala did not bestow such virtues and
merits to any of the other Prophets. Rasulullah  said: “I have been given
certain things which none of the other Prophets before me were given.”
1. My commissioning as a Prophet was to the entire mankind. The Prophets
before me used to be commissioned to their respective peoples, only while I
have been commissioned to the entire world. Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ
‫ﻜ ْﻢ ﺟﻤ ۡﻴﻌۨﺎ‬
‫ رﺳ ۡﻮ ل اﷲ اﻟ ۡﻴ‬6ۡ ‫ﻗﻞ ﻳﺎﻳﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﺎس ا‬

“O people! Surely I am the Messenger of Allah to all of you.”
ً ْٰ ْ ۤ
‫ﻠﻨﺎس‬ ‫ﻚ ا ﻻ‬
‫ﻛﺂﻓﺔ ﻟ‬ ‫و ﻣﺎ ار ﺳﻠﻨ‬
“We have not sent you but to all the people.”
ºN‫ﲔ ﻧﺬﻳ ۡﺮا‬

ۡ
‫ﻤ‬‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻌ‬
ْ
ٰ ‫ﻜ ۡﻮن ﻟﻠ‬ ‫ﻴ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ﺪ‬‫ﺒ‬ْ ‫ ﻋ‬¤ٰ ‫ي ﻧﺰل اﻟْﻔ ْﺮﻗﺎن ﻋ‬ ۡ \‫ا‬
‫ﺗ ٰﱪك‬
ٖ

“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion to His servant so that he may be a
warner to the worlds.”
2. I am the seal of Prophets. The chain of prophet-hood has ended with me. There
is to be no Prophet after me. Allah Ta’ala says:
MN‫ﲔ‬ ۡ ‫ﻦ رﺳ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻣﺤﻤ ٌﺪ اﺑﺎ ۤ اﺣﺪ ﻣ‬

ۡ ‫ﻦ رﺟﺎﻟﻜ ْﻢ وﻟ ٰﻜ‬
ٖ ‫اﻟﻨﺒ‬
‫ﺧﺎﺗ ﻢ‬ ‫و‬
‫اﷲ‬ ‫ل‬
‫ﻮ‬
ٍ

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men. Rather, he is the Messenger of
Allah and the seal of Prophets.”
643
ۡ ْ ْ ْ
MN‫ﻜ ﻢ اﻻ ْﺳ ﻼ م دﻳۡ ًﻨﺎ‬
‫ﺖ ﻟ‬
ۡ ۡ ْ ْ ‫ﻜ ْﻢ واﺗْﻤ ْﻤﺖ ﻋﻠ ۡﻴ‬
‫ﻜﻢ ﻧﻌ ﻤ« و رﺿﻴ‬
ۡ ْ ‫اﻟﻴ ْﻮم اﻛﻤﻠﺖ ﻟ‬
‫ﻜﻢ دﻳ ﻨ‬

“Today have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you and
chose Islam as a religion for you.”
3. I have been given comprehensiveness in speech. In other words, such short and
comprehensive words which are few in number but whose meanings are
numerous. The collection of Ahaadith is testimony to this. His Ahaadith are a
collection of all true beliefs, correct deeds, noble characteristics, and all rules
and injunctions related to religion and the world.
4. I have been given victory and help through my awe. Without any external
causes, my enemies are intimidated by me and scared of me despite their being
at a distance of a month’s journey. This was divine help that caused his
enemies who were as far as one month’s journey to fear him and be terrified of
him. Allah Ta’ala says:
ْ
‫ﻛ ﻔﺮوا اﻟﺮﻋﺐ‬ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ﺳﻨ ْﻠﻘ‬
‫ﻲ ﰲۡ ﻗﻠ ۡﻮب‬

“We shall cast terror in the hearts of the unbelievers.”
ْ
‫ اﻟﺮﻋﺐ‬$‫و ﻗ ﺬ ف ﰲۡ ﻗﻠ ۡﻮﺑ‬

“And He cast terror in their hearts.”
5. The entire earth has been made a place of sajdah for me and a pure place. In
other words, my followers are permitted to offer Salaah everywhere – whether
they are in the Masjid or not. I have received the permission to purify myself
with pure sand. I am permitted to make tayammum everywhere. Sand has
been made pure for me just like water.
6. Booty has been made lawful for me. It was not permitted to any Prophet
before me.
7. My followers will be more in number than the followers of all the other
Prophets. It is stated in a Hadith that on the day of Qiyaamah, all the nations
of the world will cover 120 lines. From these, 80 lines will consist of my
followers.
8. I have been given the Shafaa‘ah al-Kubraa, the major intercession. On the day
of Qiyaamah, all the early and latter nations will come to me. I will intercede
for them in the court of Allah Ta’ala.
9. I will take my followers and cross the Bridge of Siraat before all the other
Prophets.
10. I will enter Jannah first. Abu Bakr  and ‘Umar  will be to my right
and left sides. In Jannah, every Prophet will have a fountain. My fountain will
be the widest and most brilliant.
Conclusion
This weak servant has given a very brief and short explanation of the miracles and
khasaa’is of Muhammad . The Ahaadith in this regard are well known
and popular.
I now end this work, Seeratul Mustafa. I make dua to Allah Ta’ala that He
decrees a good end for myself and my offspring. I pray that He enables me to enjoy
the intercession of Muhammad , to be present at his fountain of
abundance, and to drink from its water. Aameen.3
ّٰ
‫م < حبيبه‬K‫ة والس‬K‫ والص‬.‫ رب العالمي‬4 ‫وآخر دعوانا أن المد‬
‫سيد الولي والخرين و< آل وأصحابه وعلمآء أمته وأولآء زمرته‬
‫ وعلينا معهم يا أرحم الراحي ويا أكرم الكرمي وأجود‬.‫أجعي‬
. ‫ آمي يا رب العالمي‬.‫الجودين وخي المسئولي ويا خي المعطي‬
Completed on 28 Muharram al-Haraam 1385 A.H.
Muhammad Idrees 
3
Al-hamdulillah, it is with the grace of Allah Ta’ala that the abridged version of
the Seerat-e-Mustafa  has also been completed at the Mubaarak Raudha
of Rasulullah . May Allah Ta’ala accept this treatise and make it a means
of us all attaining the closeness of Rasulullah .
O Allah, make this book a means of the Ummah learning about our beloved
Nabi Muhammad , understand his sacrifices for Deen, practice on his
beloved sunnats and strive towards the cause for which he spent his entire life.
ّٰ
‫ < الب الم و< ال وصحبه وسلم تسليما كثيا كثيا‬4‫َو صل ا‬

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ۡ‫ك ل َ ۡم تَ َر َق ُّط َع ۡين‬

Biography of the Chosen Messenger of Allah,

Title: Seeratul Mustafa 

Author: Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi 

Translated by: Mufti Muhammad Kadwa and Moulana Mahommed Mahommedy

Abridged and Published by:

Tel: (+27) 31 912 2172 - Ext: 209

First Edition: Ramadhaan 1435 / June 2014

َ َ‫ﺐ َﻋﻠَ ْﻴ َﻨﺎ ا ِّﻧ‬

(Hadhrat Moulana) Abdullah Amejee (Saahib)

ْ ‫اﻟﻨ ا ْو ٰ ﺑﺎﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ ﻣ ْﻦ اﻧۡﻔﺴ‬

Alhamdulillah, only the Ummah of Rasulullah  can lay claim to this

‫كثون الـض‬O‫جاعها وا‬ ‫صح فهر‬O‫اما قريش فا‬

Reason for the name of Quraysh

“I, Mughirah bin Qusayy, enjoin Allah-consciousness and maintenance of

‫ورجال مكة مسنتون عجاف‬ ‫ هشم الثيد لقومه‬K‫عمرو الع‬

‫م الليل كلقمر الدري‬K‫يضي ظ‬ ‫< شيبة المد الي كن وجهه‬

‘Abdul Muttalib’s Dream and the Well of Zam Zam

coincidentally met Hadhrat Ismaa’eel  and his honourable mother Hadhrat

‘Abdul Muttalib’s Vow

‫يا عبدالمطلب اوف بنذرك لرب هذا اليت‬

‫اوف بنذرك وافعل ما شئت‬

‫بنو اللقيطة من ذهل بن شيبانا‬ ‫لو كنت من مازن لم تستبح ابل‬

As a form of ridicule, the poet refers to them as the children of an orphan. In

Hadhrat ‘Abdullah’s Marriage to Hadhrat Aaminah

‫يم الكريم عرضه ودينه‬ ‫مر الي تبغينه‬O‫فكيف با‬

Incident of the People of the Elephants

َ ۡ ‫ِين َظلَ ُم ۡو ۚ َو‬

The Collapse of Chosroes’ Palace and the Sinking of Lake Sawah

‘Aqeeqah and Naming

Before the birth of Rasulullah , ‘Abdul Muttalib actually saw a

ۡ ۡ ‫و ا ْذ ﻗﺎل ﻋ' ۡﺴﻲ اﺑْﻦ ﻣ ْﺮﻳﻢ ٰﻳﺒ‬

Upbringing and Suckling

‫تمعددوا و تمعزروا واخشو شنوا‬

search of suckling infants. Accompanying me on this journey was my husband and

Ta’ala alone. Halimah  recounts: “I just grasped this blessed child to my

he also started accompanying his milk-brothers to the grasslands to graze the

The Splitting of the Chest

In the Guardianship of ‘Abdul Muttalib

Death of ‘Abdul Muttalib

In the Guardianship of Abu Taalib

‫ليۡ ِن‬ ۡ ‫ب اغف ِۡر ِ ۡل َخ ِط ۡي َئ‬

Occupation of Trade and the Title of Al-Ameen

Second Journey to Syria and the Encounter with Nastoora, the

Marriage to Hadhrat Khadijah 

Hadhrat Khadijah , after listening to Maysarah’s account of his travels

The Renovation of the K’abah and Rasulullah’s 

‫مي‬O‫مي رضينا هذا ممد ا‬O‫هذا ممد ا‬

“This is Muhammad, the trustworthy. We are extremely pleased with him as

His Divine Aversion to Pagan Customs

$- )*+ '( & $% "# !

‫ﺛﻢ ﺣﺒﺐ اﻪ اﺨﻟﻼ و"ن ﺨﻳﻠﻮ ﺑﻐﺎر ﺣﺮاء‬

ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ ۡﺸ ْﺮ ﻟﻜ ْﻢ رﺑ‬U‫اﻋﺘﺰﻟْﺘﻤ ۡﻮﻫ ْﻢ وﻣﺎ ﻳ ْﻌﺒﺪ ۡون ا ﻻ اﷲ ﻓﺎ ۡ ٗ ۤوا ا اﻟْﻜ ۡﻬﻒ ﻳ‬

‫ما انا بقارئ‬

‫مه ايقن بالق واعتف به‬Ë ‫فلما س ِم َع‬

Salaah - The Primary Obligation after Tauheed and Risaalat

his actions. Then Rasulullah  also performed wudhu accordingly.

Following this, Rasulullah’s  freed slave Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarisah

Islam of Abu Bakr Siddeeq 

M" JKL# I &

The Islam of Ja’far bin Abi Taalib 

Islam of ‘Afeef Kindi 

‘Afeef Kindi was a close friend of Hadhrat ‘Abbaas . He was a perfume

ْ ‫اﻟﻨ ا ْو ٰ ﺑﺎﻟْﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ ۡﲔ ﻣ ْﻦ اﻧۡﻔﺴ‬

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‫ﺛﻢ ﺣﺒﺐ اﻪ اﺨﻟﻼ و"ن ﺨﻳﻠﻮ ﺑﻐﺎر ﺣﺮاء‬

ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ ۡﺸ ْﺮ ﻟﻜ ْﻢ رﺑ‬U‫اﻋﺘﺰﻟْﺘﻤ ۡﻮﻫ ْﻢ وﻣﺎ ﻳ ْﻌﺒﺪ ۡون ا ﻻ اﷲ ﻓﺎ ۡ ٗ ۤوا ا اﻟْﻜ ۡﻬﻒ ﻳ‬

M" JKL# I &

‫ﻚ ﻟ ْﻦ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ْ ‫ا\ﻳۡﻦ ﻣ ْﻦ ﻗ‬

MN‫ﻫﺰ ًوا‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻫ‬‫ﺬ‬ ‫ﺨ‬ ‫ﺘ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻢ‬

ْ ۤۡ ٰ ‫ﻦ ﺑ ْﻌﺪ ﻣﺎ ﻓﺘﻨ ۡﻮا ﺛﻢ‬H ‫ﻳ ۡﻦ ﻫﺎﺟﺮ ۡوا ﻣ‬¹

‫ﺣ ٰﻤﻦ‬ ْ ‫ ؕ﴾ اﻃﻠﻊ اﻟْﻐ ۡﻴﺐ ام اﺗﺨﺬ ﻋ ۡﻨﺪ اﻟﺮ‬۷۷﴿ ‫ا‬ ً ‫ﺎﻻ و و‬ ً